Wareham officers respond to 3 cases of dogs left inside a vehicle

Jul 2, 2019

Every year, dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in a parked car — even for “just for a second” — while they run an errand. 

Parked cars are death traps for dogs: on a 70-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 90 degrees in just minutes, and on an 85-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 102 degrees in less than 10 minutes, according to infographics published by the Wareham Department of Natural Resources. 

Officers from this department responded to three reports of dogs locked inside of motor vehicles over the weekend. 

On Saturday, June 29, officers responded to a report of a dog inside a car in the Shaw’s parking lot, according to a Wareham Department of Natural Resources post on Facebook. Officers opened the motor vehicle and placed the dog in the patrol vehicle. Upon arrival, the owner was issued a  $150 citation, the maximum allowed by law.

On Sunday, June 30, officers responded to the Shaw’s parking lot for the same type of call. Officers arrived within five minutes but found the owner had left the scene.

On the same day, an officer arrived within three minutes of another call. When the officer arrived on the scene, he noted that the dog was not only confined inside of the hot car, but it was also locked inside of a nylon carrier. The officer issued the owner a  $150 citation, the maximum allowed by law.

The Wareham Department of Natural Resources reminds dog owners to not leave their pets in the car. The department’s zero tolerance policy towards this violation means citations will be issued. The fine for a first offense is $150. 

If an animal suffers a medical emergency as a result of the confinement in a hot motor vehicle, the owner can expect to be arrested, the department notes.