Dog rescued from scorching hot pickup truck, owners face animal cruelty charges
Owners charged with animal cruelty, dog left in hot car
Police say a couple left their dog in the bed of a pickup for hours on a hot day. The owners are now in jail charged with animal cruelty.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A dog left in the bed of a pickup truck for more than 10 hours on a scorching July day is now recovering, and its owners are in the Cobb County Jail facing animal cruelty charges.
Dog left in hot car
What we know:
Police said they found the dog on July 22 at a motel off Interstate 20, confined inside a wire crate in the bed of the truck.
Officers noted the temperature that day was in the 90s and the dog had no water, no shade, and was clearly in distress.
The plastic bottom of the crate was measured at 122 degrees, causing burns to the animal's paws.
"The temperatures in the truck were over 120 degrees and this dog was trapped with no water and no way out," said Stephen Hammond, director of Cobb County Animal Services.
Cobb County Animal Services says a dog was left in a wire crate in the bed of a scorching hot pick up truck. (Cobb County Animal Services)
According to court documents, the dog was struggling to stand and began lying down to avoid further injury to its paws. Surveillance video showed the truck had been parked at the motel for more than 10 hours.
Officers found the owners asleep inside the motel and arrested them.
Ebony Newell and Reginald Weems were charged with cruelty to animals.
Weems also faces drug possession charges and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Cobb County Animal Services says a dog was left in a wire crate in the bed of a scorching hot pick up truck. (Cobb County Animal Services)
What happened to the dog?
What they're saying:
"The dog came here, we’ve had it examined by a vet and are treating it," Hammond said.
Hammond added that the case is one of several similar incidents reported this summer. Cobb County Animal Services has received about a dozen calls about dogs left in hot vehicles. Not all cases result in arrests, particularly if the animal is unharmed. Instead, officers use the opportunity to educate owners on the dangers of heat exposure.
"We talk about the dog’s internal body temperature and how they change," Hammond said. "As it gets hotter and hotter, those temperatures start to converge, and it's no different than being in an oven."
He said there has been a noticeable increase in dogs being left outside motels in metro Atlanta, often because owners cannot bring them indoors. The case at the Rodeway Inn was the second reported incident of the day.
Ebony Newell and Reginald Weems (Cobb County Sheriff's Office)
What's next:
The dog is now in the care of Cobb County Animal Services.
No word on the next court dates for Ebony Newell and Reginald Weems.
See a dog locked in a hot car?
What you can do:
Under Georgia law, civilians are not permitted to forcibly enter a vehicle to rescue an animal, even if it appears to be in distress. Only law enforcement officers or authorized animal control personnel have the legal authority to break into a car to save a pet.
If a dog is locked in a hot car and appears to be in danger, residents are advised to call 911 immediately. Georgia law does not protect civilians who break into vehicles to remove animals, meaning bystanders could face legal consequences for taking action on their own.
Officials recommend documenting the vehicle’s make, model, color, and license plate number. If the vehicle is parked outside a business, staff should be notified so they can attempt to locate the owner.
Once law enforcement is alerted, bystanders are encouraged to stay near the vehicle and monitor the animal’s condition until help arrives.
Animal welfare agencies emphasize that interior vehicle temperatures can rise rapidly, even with windows cracked. A dog’s internal body temperature can quickly reach dangerous levels, and the result can be fatal within minutes.
The Source: FOX 5's Denise Dillon spoke with Stephen Hammond, director of Cobb County Animal Services, for this article. Mug shots and confirmation of charges come from court and jail records obtained from the Cobb County Clerk of Court and the Cobb County Sheriff's Office. Tips on what to do if you see a dog in a hot car come from previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting.