ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A pet owner could face felony charges after leaving four "Bernedoodle" puppies inside a hot car at Disney Springs last Saturday.
The 13-week-old pups, a mix between a Bernese mountain dog and a poodle, had just been purchased from a breeder.
A security guard saw the puppies in distress inside a hot car in a parking garage. First responders arrived to find one puppy unresponsive. Despite life-saving measures, the puppy died.
According to the Orange County Animal Services (OCAS), the puppies were left in the car for about 90 minutes.
OCAS said the owner had just recently purchased the puppies from a breeder and stopped to have dinner with family at Disney Springs, and assumed that since they were in a covered parking garage and had the windows cracked, things 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 said.
The three remaining puppies have recovered and were adopted by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s Fire Department staff.
Summers said even in the shade or with the windows cracked, animals should never be left in cars, especially during the summer.
"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 added.
Just two weeks ago, Animal Services dealt with a similar incident at a Goodwill in Orlando when a 7-month-old Shih Tzu was left inside a car.
When Orange County Fire Rescue rescued the puppy, the car's temperature was 140 degrees. Fortunately, the puppy was able to recover at one of OCAS’ local partner veterinary emergency clinics and was released to a rescue group.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office is investigating both incidents. Agricultural Crimes Unit investigators believe they will have probable cause for felony animal cruelty charges against the Bernedoodle's owner.
