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When Xochitl Dalton parked her car at the Splash Town water park in Harris County, Texas on Friday afternoon, she was shocked to discover a huge yellow Labrador locked inside the SUV in the next parking space.
Apparently the dog’s owner was enjoying a day cooling off in the water while the family dog sat dying in the car.
Temperatures outside had reached about 90-degrees. Temperatures inside the SUV soared at a deadly 140-degrees, despite the vehicle’s windows being cracked open a couple of inches.
In addition to calling police, Dalton took several photos of the distressed dog and posted them to several Facebook groups. Within just a few minutes, several dog lovers arrived to help.
“I immediately dropped everything, got in my car and drove from Magnolia up here, ready to bust the windshield out,” Melissa Camp, who saw the post on Facebook, told KPRC News.
Several people showed up to help, some carrying bricks and hammers, prepared to smash the SUV’s windows if necessary to save the dog.
All the commotion caught the attention of a water park employee who managed to squeeze his hand inside the opened window and rescue the suffering dog. Deputies said the dog was on the verge of passing out when they arrived.
Police were finally able to locate and arrest the dog’s owner on Friday evening when the water park closed and he returned to his vehicle.
The dog’s owner is facing animal cruelty charges. The dog remains in custody of the Harris County Constable’s Office.
Lora Cotton
Jun 16, 2014 at 9:42 pm
I APPLAUD everyone for their vigilance on this particular subject! I too, have experienced finding an animal carelessly left in a hot car! I urge everyone to continue the vigilance, BUT to use COMMON SENSE TOO!!! ESPECIALLY IN HOUSTON!!! SOMETIMES what INITIALLY appears to be an animal locked in a hot car, is ACTUALLY an animal in a running vehicle WITH AN OWNER (aka with A/C running), waiting for someone who is doing the shopping/running, etc!!! Our dog is a “service dog in training.” Until she is fully certified, MOST shops/stores/restaurants, etc WILL NOT ALLOW HER to accompany my disabled husband, therefore, we are forced to keep her in the vehicle with one of us, while the other runs in the store, etc. Since my husband is the one dependent upon her presence to ease his distress, that usually means that he stays in the vehicle while I do the shopping/running. Due to the tinting on the windows of our vehicle, and the fact that our silly girl INSISTS on laying on the dash 90% of the time, it initially appears that she is a “stranded” dog. We have had folks walk up to the vehicle and try the handles; security guards stop and do the same – then give my husband hell for “allowing” the dog to lay in the sun; folks take down the license plate # and make/model of the vehicle and have me paged in the store – then bitch me out for leaving my dog in a hot vehicle,or WORSE yet, have the cops waiting for me at the service desk, etc. While I, as an animal lover (particularly dogs) understand that these folks have the absolute BEST OF INTENTIONS when they do these things, GIVE US A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN AND THEN “ADJUST ACCORDINGLY” ONCE YOU’VE LEARNED THAT YOUR ASSUMPTION WAS INACCURATE!!! With all the “nut jobs” (particularly here in the Houston area) it’s getting to the point, that if my husband doesn’t pick me up at the door, I’m fearful that he’s been assaulted while waiting for me to finish the grocery shopping!!!!
Kim
Jun 16, 2014 at 10:30 pm
Lorna, the A/C on a car does not efficiently cool after several minutes in a car that’s not moving. You really need to teach your dog to stay off of the dash because that’s not only unsafe, but will make you a target (as you’ve already mentioned). You want people to cut you some slack, but you need to make a few concessions as well and avoid doing things that create the impression you are putting your dog at risk.
amy fitzgerald
Jun 17, 2014 at 8:49 am
I would not do business with establishments that don’t allow service dogs, in training or not.
Stripes
Jun 18, 2014 at 3:05 am
Sorry but it’s just like when you suspect child abuse, better to do something than nothing, but you are right, use common sense and be careful.
GG
Jun 16, 2014 at 7:50 pm
What a jerk. It makes me want to stick him in the car tied up in that heat and see how he reacts. It drives me crazy when people are so heartless. The worst thing is that dog would still love that person even after what he did to him. They are so forgiving and loving and jerks like that betray them.
Michele Caywood
Jun 16, 2014 at 5:04 pm
THE ABSOLUTE CRUELTY OF MANKIND…..!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michele Caywood
Jun 16, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Place the bloody “animal” owner in the car and throw away the key……in the desert !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tammy
Jun 16, 2014 at 4:32 pm
I doubt any jail time or fines will bother him seeming he was smiling when in handcuffs the POS
gina
Jun 16, 2014 at 12:55 pm
what gets me is it says they arrested the owner after the park was closing so that means that dogs would of been there that long that is horrible
fred
Jun 16, 2014 at 12:45 pm
too bad the authorities don’t feel the same way about dogs in Arizona,I believe it was where that lady left her dog in the car while she was shopping in the AIR-CONDITIONED mall! I believe her dog died didn’t it? And she’s walking around free while the police “investigate”the incident!? what’s to investigate ? 1 dead dog in HER car ? I think it was pretty cut & dried what happened there. Her ass should have been immediately arrested!
William Whitler
Jun 16, 2014 at 12:39 pm
What a wonderful town to come to the rescue of this dog, the towns of the world should learn something from this, and a huge THANK-YOU to the lady that noticed this helpless dog in the frist you did GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sherri
Jun 16, 2014 at 11:35 am
I sure as hell hope the dog will not be returned to this POS owner, although I’m not very positive about that.
Bob
Jun 16, 2014 at 11:18 am
90 days of jail time, then take their driver’s license and car registration for five years; some time walking or taking the bus might wake them the hell up.
STELLA PELFREY
Jun 16, 2014 at 11:38 am
I agree with the person that said that the owner should be locked in the hot car for the same length of time that the dog was locked up and don’t let them out
Thad Castle
Jun 16, 2014 at 12:48 pm
That’s just messed up you psycho.
Lora Cotton
Jun 16, 2014 at 9:48 pm
Unfortunately, Bob, the facts are that they would simply drive without a license – which also means they’d be without insurance too!!! I live in the Houston area (I’m originally from Columbus Ohio, have lived and driven in the Orlando FL area, have stayed -extended – in the Fredericksburg, VA area and driven around DC, and I’ve NEVER experienced the chaos, idiocy, selfishness, apathy that I’ve seen/driven through since coming to Houston!!! Then to KNOW that at least 40% (if not more) are uninsured????? FRIGHTENS THE HELL OUTTA ME!!!
Mirjam da Thesta
Jun 16, 2014 at 10:59 am
Locke the owner in the car for the same time the dog was in the car! I.hate that kind of dog owners.
Mikie V
Jun 16, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Don’t forget to put a fur coat on him!
Tandi Noggle
Jun 16, 2014 at 10:54 am
They should’ve smashed every single window out after removing the dog. Headlights too.
Margit Wacha
Jun 16, 2014 at 11:00 am
My word !
Beth
Jun 16, 2014 at 9:53 am
What is wrong with the people who do this??
Ruth Ann
Jun 16, 2014 at 9:51 am
I can’t believe someone would be this stupid. I wonder if they would leave a child alone in a hot car all day, with the windows “cracked”. I hope he doesn’t get this poor defenseless dog back.
Deborah
Jun 16, 2014 at 10:18 am
The sad part, Ruth Ann, is they would.
Sherri
Jun 16, 2014 at 11:35 am
Probably….
Lora Cotton
Jun 16, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Ruth Ann, it’s not stupidity, it’s complete and utter APATHY!!! Unfortunately, that is EXACTLY what this WHOLE WORLD is coming too!!! Whether from lack of religious/belief training; single parent homes; video games, etc, our entire society has progressively become more and more apathetic overall. Everyone is out there for themselves. They have no concern or care about what/how something they do will affect someone else, all that matters is that the individual person gets what they want. If they act this way to other humans, how are we to expect them to act better for a dog? Something that they don’t give the same “level” as a human???? I believe that’s why were are seeing so VERY MANY robberies, stalking, accidents, murders, etc!