Dog left in scorching heat for over 8 hours dies as Chester animal control officer role remains vacant
Dog left outside in scorching heat for more than 8 hours dies, upset residents speak out
A dog in Delaware County was found dead in dangerously high temperatures Monday afternoon after its owner says he left the Husky outside for more than eight hours. Authorities were contacted during the day, but because the Chester animal control officer role remains vacant, it may have caused a major delay in response from authorities.
CHESTER, Pa. - A dog in Delaware County was found dead in dangerously high temperatures Monday afternoon.
Chester Police responded to a home on the 400 block of East 9th Street around 4 p.m. when officers found the body of the dead Husky in a vacant lot.
They were alerted by concerned neighbors who told FOX 29 the dog had been chained up outside all day Monday as temperatures reached the high 80s.
"There was a leash that would go through the window and the dog would be tied to that," said animal rescue advocate Krystal Subers who walked around the vacant lot Tuesday.
Photos taken by neighbors over the past couple days show a leash leading from an apartment window, others show the dog chained to cinder blocks near a dumpster and another photo taken Monday just a few hours before the dog was found dead.
"These dogs get heat stroke, and it can happen very quickly. Sometimes they suffer for a long period of time" said Subers.
The dog's owner, who only identified himself as Eddie, spoke with us through a Google translator app.
He said his dog named "Dana" had been sick and vomiting for several days. He explained that he was keeping his dog outside because his apartment has no air conditioning. He says his dog was outside from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. while he was at work.
"I didn’t want to have it inside the house because of the heat as I don’t have air conditioning" he said via translator.
He says he's heartbroken over the loss of his dog and never thought it would come to this.
"I don’t want to mistreat animal. I am very sad. The truth is I have treated my dog well," Eddie added.
Currently, the city of Chester does not have its own Animal Control Officer. The city has been advertising the job opening since last November.
Justin Tibbels, Special Assistant to Mayor Stefan Roots says the city has not received any viable options for the position.
Subers wondered if someone responded faster, maybe Dana would still be alive.
"They need to get animal control for this city because this is not going to stop here, it’s going to continue, there are so many animals that suffer and nobody will step up for them because it’s Chester and it’s not fair" Subers added.
Chester Police along with the Pennsylvania Dog Warden for Delaware County are now investigating possible animal neglect charges against the owner.
If you see an animal whose life is in danger or in distress, call 911 for help.