# Show dogs die after being kept in van overnight



## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

I haven't posted in this section yet but just saw this on the news and was saddened. We've been under excessive heat warnings for over a week so I don't know what this person could have been thinking.

Video 
Text


----------



## girlll_face (Jun 9, 2009)

Hmm...
A cousin of mine's kitten died this same way. It bothered me for a long time, well actually it still bothers me to this day. It's just too horrible to even think about. Think about those torturous few minutes when you first get in your car before the a/c kicks in...dying that way. I mean, what could be worse? Those poor little angels, how could someone not realize that was going to happen? R.I.P. guys. A lot of babies end up dying that way, too, what is wrong with some people, do they really not understand?


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

How sad. In Wyoming people had to be reminded that dogs weren't to be left in vehicles at shows in summer even with the doors open.

sometimes people just screw up.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I have a lot of trouble believing this, I mean that the custodian rigged the fans and left the windows down and checked them at 4AM and at 6:30 they were in distress. 

This sounds more reasonable. Coming back from the show after midnight, falling to sleep on the road, tired, etc. Pulls in, thinks, I should put the dogs away. 

They'll be fine in the van until morning. I'll take them out when I get up. 

Sun rises at 5:58. Sun beats on van. Dogs inside are generating heat. At six thirty custodian comes out and dogs are dead and dying from heat. He quickly throws the doors open and puts fans on them. Too late for all but one. 

If the sun is not beating on the car, then there is no greenhouse affect. 

However, it may be different in the south. Was it ninety degrees all night? Did the amount of canine body heat in the space contribute to it? Did the fans motors contribute to the overall heat? 

Well, there goes that guy's/gal's professional handling career. 

Too bad for the dogs. 

ETA: wouldn't it be easier to just kennel the dogs than to rig eight fans???


----------



## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

People do screw up sometimes. It happens with kids and that makes the news plenty, I'm not sure that I've ever seen a local story about it happening to pets though. It appears these weren't her dogs but ones she was handling. What an awful thing for the dogs, the owners, and the handler. Not sure why she didn't bring them in her house but given she had dogs of her own I guess there was some potential conflict. 

selzer, the heat and humidity here the past week have been insane. I don't think it's been over eighty any night lately but even 77 degrees with eight dogs packed into a van could get bad. I agree there was probably some tiredness involved on the handler's part.


----------



## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

*"left a door open, and left windows partially open"*
Why not leave the windows *ALL* the way open????


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

According to the article there were kennels in the garage but the handler felt the garage would be too hot. 
The only way to do this would be to leave the vehicle running with the AC blasting -- and then you are taking a big chance that the vehicle shuts down on you & kills the dogs.

It's been in the high 90s here in Arkansas & probably in the 80s or so at night + a heck of a lot of humidity. Just nasty.


----------



## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

How sad.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Here's a link to an updated version of the story. 
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/st...EC?OpenDocument

The handler didn't call the vet until 9:08 AM, and then called the office at 9:20 AM. She got the dogs to the vet's office at 9:30 AM. The vet arrived 15 minutes later. The vet said rigor mortis was already set in some of the dead dogs. There was no explanation as to why the handler waited three hours to get medical help. 

One of the dogs that died, Jersey, was the top ranking Akita bitch in the country. An 8th dog is still alive.


----------



## kcscott85 (May 3, 2009)

There was a wanted ad on the local classifieds site here saying for a chocolate Daschund puppy. The person's previous chocolate Daschund puppy had just died from being left in the car while the owners went to the beach. Why bring a dog to the beach if you're going to leave it in the car? I can't even imagine how horrible it would be die that way. Its been high 80s & 90s plus humidity here.


----------



## gbocrafty (Apr 2, 2009)

How very sad. I think I saw the akita at one of the dog shows on Animal planet.

It has been in the high 80's and 90.s here. The other night at 11pm it was 77 degrees.


----------



## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I cannot believe that a garage would be hotter than a vehicle sitting in the driveway filled with 8 dogs. Fans will not cool off anything if they are blowing hot air. It's sad, especially because it was completely preventable.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

If it was that hot she should have taken the crates in the house where it was cool. She's paid big bucks to care for those animals.

I just checked our weather. It's 1:55AM, the temperature is 79°, the humidity 74%, with a 4 mph breeze.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I cannot believe the garage would have been hotter. If so, she would not have had the kennels set up in the garage. This is not the first time the whether was hot in that neck of the woods. The day before yesterday in the middle of the day it was probably hotter than that night. 

Leaving them in the van was a bad idea. And at nine am, rigor was set in. Dogs could have died after sunrise. 

77 degree weather at night will not kill a dog in a vehicle. Maybe eight dogs if the van was completely shut up. 77 degree weather after the sun comes up will kill them, and quick. 

It is just an opinion, but after sunset, I can leave my dogs in the car for hours on end without any problems, before sunset, my I am even nervous with windows down and the back open. Today, no way. It is up over 85, my dogs are outside. They are fine. They have shadey spots to go, and water in their buckets. Dogs can manage in 90 to 100 degree weather if they have water and have shade. They would have been fine in the garage.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Maybe it cools down at night in Ohio. Doesn't cool down much here at night in summer. I can walk at 2 am & still be disgustingly hot. Moving down here I stopped to sleep in the truck at a rest stop. My windows were down and the dogs were tied to the door handle, resting in the grass at night. No way would I have left them in the vehicle. I felt bad enough having them out for a few hours in the middle of the night.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If the sun is not beating on the vehicle you do not get the rapid increase in temperature inside the vehicle. Temps inside a vehicle can go up to 130 degrees or even higher when the sun is shining. At night it does not shine. If it is 90 degrees out in the grass and it is night time, then it will be 90 degrees in the car given the windows are down so that the bodies in the vehicle are not increasing the temperature in an enclosed area. 

Heat rises. If the windows are down, most of the increased heat from the living bodies or fans in the vehicle are going to go up and out of the vehicle. Close to another heat source it will be warmer, but it will not increase to dangerous level, just miserable levels. 

I have a hard time believing it happened as reported. But I have never lived there. My dogs have been out all day today and it was the hottest, most humid day of the year so far. None are distressed.


----------



## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I think I've seen that Akita...


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

A link to the handlers website:

http://www.marywildhandling.com/Page2.html



> Quote:While in my care, someone is always present to insure the comfort and safety of your dog. The well being of your dog is my number one priority.


Yeah - right.

I have heard from someone that knows the Akita's owner that there is more to the story than what was told to the police.


----------



## agilegsds (Dec 31, 2003)

It's fairly common for handlers to leave dogs in trucks/vans all night at shows. At the Louisville cluster I've seen handlers take dogs out for the last walk of the night and then put them back in trucks with crates packed to the ceiling, in the hotel parking lot. The handlers then go to their nice rooms. It was March, so heat wasn't an issue but I couldn't imagine leaving my dogs unattended in a truck overnight, not to mention the fact that they were crammed in there.







Of course Kayto stayed with me in my comfy room. 

Many of the dog trucks I've seen don't even have windows in the back. They were similar to this:


----------



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Holy crap, I hope she is sued to no end... She was being paid quite a lot to ensure comfort and care to these people's dogs, and let them cook to death. 

If I had any dog in my care, it would be in my home, not locked in a car with others, crated. There is no way to excuse this, sounds like pure laziness, or idiocy - WHY COULD SHE NOT PUT THEM IN THE HOME?! She went and slept in her nice, cool and comfy bed, while they baked in her oven of a van. I hope this haunts her... How could anyone, much less anyone who works with animals and HAS TO KNOW BETTER, leave dogs in a care after sunrise? 
Unless it is under 70*, not humid, and in shade with all of the windows cracked, I stay in the car with mine, and they've never been left longer than 30 minutes alone, and that was in January. 

This has me infuriated... Can you even imagine how the owners who trusted this creature with their family members must feel? I know I would feel it was my fault as well as hers for letting her take them. This is so disgusting! I actually feel sick over this.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Yeah it is sick. That type of van in the photo with a bunch of coated dogs in it, and then leaving them in it after sunrise. Even in Ohio, those dogs might die.


----------



## flyinghayden (Oct 7, 2005)

Wow, that is so sad, such a careless act. Even up here where summer highs might be +75F, I still keep the pups in an air conditioned enviroment during the day. Back when I used to travel all over with Maxie, if I had to park somewhere, I would leave the engine on, with the windows up, and the A/C on, and she would be snoozing all stretched out in the cool air while I was off doing whatever. Even then, it was somewhat dangerous, as the engine could stall, but I never left her for more then a few minutes at a time. It is one of the things we are a bit lucky with, no tickets for an idling car.


----------



## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

sad


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

+75 degree highs, I am shocked you even have air conditioning. 

Here it gets over 90 and closer to 100 with high humidity, dogs are outside, but they have shade and water. (I do not have air conditioning, and it is far better outside where there is a breeze.)


----------



## SouthernThistle (Nov 16, 2005)

Why not just move the "portable" kennels....into her home? Tired or not, there's no way I'd keep an animal in a car overnight or for an extended period of time.

P.S. Handler's website - "Page cannot be found."


----------



## Betty (Aug 11, 2002)

Poor dogs. What a terrible way to die.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Update:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/st...61?OpenDocument

The Jefferson County prosecutor will be reviewing police reports. The article says they could consider animal neglect or animal abuse charges against the handler. The prosecutor said, ""Once we review the reports, we will decide if the facts fit either statute and will make charging decisions accordingly," Wegge said Friday."

"Animal neglect is defined by Missouri law as the failure to provide adequate care. Animal abuse is "purposely, intentionally or recklessly causing injury or suffering to an animal." A first offense is a misdemanor."


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Another update:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/st...76?OpenDocument

The sole survivor, a Sibe named Cinder, was able to go home.

The prosecutor is still considering if charges will be filed or not.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I suspect that Ms. Wild faces several substantial civil suits regarding this. I hope she gets hit hard and is never seen in a ring in any capacity again.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

would you let her walk across the street with your dog? The only way she will get work of any kind is if the owners don't know about this incident. I suppose it is possible.

Professional handlers are licensed by the AKC aren't they? I wonder if she will face disciplinary action with the AKC as well.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

UPDATE:

The Jefferson County Prosecutor has charged Mary Wild with eight counts of animal cruelty. She's free on $2,500 bond. The article doesn't state what penalty she faces if found guilty though it goes into what AKC might do.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1309404.html


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Another UPDATE: In Mary Wild was found guilty and sentenced to 80 hours community service and two years probation. The maxmum penalty she faced was 8 years in jail and an $8,000 fine ... IMHO she got off easy.

Arnold dog handler gets probation in deaths of 7 dogs

Someone on a list I belong to said she read on someone's Facebook page that Mary was suspended for life from AKC but I cannot find anything to confirm if this is true or not????


----------



## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

I would normally be outraged but it says she placed several fans in the van and rolled down the windows because the garage was too hot. I'm pretty sure she has learned her lesson. I don't see the point of a 750 word essay or probation or fine.
Sad story all around... 7 dogs died and her show career is over.


----------



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> and her show career is over.


As it SHOULD be. Someone who does not have the common sense not to leave 8 dogs in a van after sunrise in the south should not be receiving payment to provide care for anyone's animals.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

This is one of the saddest things I have ever read. Those poor dogs! 

I think she got off too easy! There should be a more severe punishment for what happened!


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Here's a link to THE DOG PRESS which states she was suspended for life, fined $3,000 and lost her appeal.
AKC FINALLY SUSPENDS HANDLER MARY WILD BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN, Editorial by Barbara Andrews


----------

