KLAMATH FALLS, Oregon — After two dogs left inside a vehicle in Klamath Falls were found dead Wednesday, Animal Control is cautioning pet owners to take care in ensuring their pets stay cool as the weather warms up.
Jim Nielsen, chief animal control officer for Klamath County, said animal control and Klamath County Sheriff’s Office responded to a location behind Klamath Tribute Center Wednesday between 5:30 and 6 p.m. where a deceased Rottweiler or labrador mix and a collie mix were found outside the vehicle with the owner.
“They were trapped in there for quite a few hours,” Nielsen said. “Some of the markings in the vehicle looked like they were trying their best to try to get out.”
Nielsen, himself a pet owner, said of the scene: “It was pretty rough.”
The dogs were taken to East Ridge Veterinarian’s Hospital for autopsies, according to Nielsen.
The owner, whose name has not yet been released, was cited for first and second-degree-animal neglect for each dog. The incident is under investigation by the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office and Klamath County Animal Control.
“Once we learn more and speak with the DA some more, we’ll probably be able to put more information out in the future,” Nielsen said.
A precaution for pet owners
Nielsen said calls for service related to overheated animals start coming in more regularly once the weather warms up.
“We tend to get anywhere from five to 10 (related calls) a day on the warmer days,” Nielsen said.
“You definitely don’t want to leave them too long before checking on them and taking care of them,” Nielsen added. “Even cracking the windows doesn’t do a whole lot.”
If a pet owner must leave a pet inside the vehicle for a time, Nielsen encourages parking in a shady area, leaving some water to drink or even a fan going inside the car.
The best-case scenario is to leave the pooch at home, according to Nielsen.
This is the second case in which a pet has perished in a hot vehicle in three years, Nielsen said.
“We don’t want to deal with this anymore,” Nielsen said. “This is something that’s completely preventable.”
Klamath Falls is a city of about 21,000 people in southwest Oregon.