3 puppies rescued, 1 killed, in parked car at Disney Springs

A puppy died while three others were rescued after their owner left them in a car parked in a parking garage at Disney Springs in Orange County, Florida.

Orange County Animal Services said in a news release that four “Bernedoodle” (Bernese Mountain Dog, Poodle) puppies were recovered from a car parked in a Disney Springs parking garage last Saturday evening. It turned out that one of the puppies was unresponsive and had to be euthanized due to the extent of the injuries, despite “intervention from paramedics and the emergency veterinary clinic.”

The other three puppies have since “recovered with assistance” and were adopted by Reedy Creek Fire Department employees, the animal welfare organization said.

The puppies’ owner told authorities that he had recently purchased the puppies from a breeder in Ohio. He said he stopped at Disney Springs to have dinner with the family and left the puppies in the car with the windows slightly open, assuming the conditions would be suitable for the dogs. According to OSAS, the owner had been gone for about 90 minutes before the puppies were found.

According to AccuWeather.com, the high temperature recorded in Orlando on May 4th was 87 degrees. Authorities did not provide details about conditions inside the car when the puppies were rescued, but stressed that temperatures in parked cars can reach over 120 degrees.

The owner could face animal cruelty charges, the sheriff’s office says

Under Florida law, it is illegal to leave an animal locked and unattended in a parked vehicle without adequate ventilation, the OCAS said in a post on Facebook, explaining that temperatures in parked vehicles can rise quickly, which can be harmful to pets can.

OCAS said the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is reviewing the matter to determine whether charges can be filed against the owner. The sheriff’s office said in an email to USA TODAY that the matter is an active investigation that is “still in its early stages.”

“Our Agricultural Crimes Unit investigators believe they have probable cause to charge animal cruelty in this case,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Heartbreaking and angry”

The OCAS also urges pet owners to be more careful with their furry friends and not to leave them unattended in the car.

“Every summer we deal with cases like this where someone runs into a store, mall or similar venue and decides to leave their pet in the car, assuming it will only be a short drive “said OCAS department head Diane Summers in a statement. “It is heartbreaking and upsetting for our employees and the animal-loving community when pet owners make this mistake, because preventable tragedies can and do happen.”

Summers added that pet owners have the misconception that shade or a cracked window is enough for the animal, when in reality the opposite is true, especially during the summer months in Florida.

The animal welfare group said a similar incident occurred at a Goodwill in Orlando last month. A pet owner left his seven-month-old Shih Tzu Beethoven in the car while he went shopping. When the puppy was rescued, Orange County Fire Rescue recorded a temperature of 140 degrees in the car, OCAS said. After Beethoven recovered from the ordeal, he was handed over to a rescue group.

“We at OCAS simply ask our community to remember that they are more than just pets,” OCAS said. “They are more than possessions. To remember that they need us more than we need them. And that most of the time they can’t survive without us. We shouldn’t endanger these tender hearts.”

Authorities have also asked anyone who witnesses a pet left in a car without air conditioning to contact local law enforcement immediately.

Saman Shafiq is a featured news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: One puppy dead, three rescued from hot car parked at Disney Springs