After leaving four “Bernedoodle” puppies inside a heated car at Disney Springs on Saturday, a pet owner may be charged with a felony.
The 13-week-old puppies, who were a cross between a poodle and a Bernese mountain dog, had recently been bought from a breeder.
Inside a heated car in a parking garage, a security guard noticed the distressed puppies. One puppy was unresponsive when the first responders got there. The puppy lost its life despite attempts to save it.
OCAS, Orange County Animal Services, reports that the puppies were left in the car for approximately ninety minutes.
According to OCAS, the owner had just bought the puppies from a breeder and had stopped at Disney Springs for supper with family. The owner reasoned that since the puppies were in a covered parking garage with damaged windows, everything would “be okay for the dogs.”
“Every summer we deal with cases like this, where someone runs into a store, the mall, or similar venue and opts to leave their pet in the car, assuming it’ll be a short trip. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating for our staff and animal-loving community when pet owners make this mistake as preventable tragedy can and does occur,” Orange County Animal Services Director Diane Summers stated.
The crew of the Fire Department of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District adopted the three puppies that remained once they healed.
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Summers stated that animals should never be left in cars, especially in the heat, even with the windows cracked or in the shade.
“People have this misconception that shade or cracking the window will alleviate any concerns of overheating. It’s simply not the case. An animal should never be left in a car, especially during the summer months of Florida,” she continued.
