Deputies rescue dog locked in hot van
By: -----
Jefferson County, CO - A Colorado sheriff's office released body cam video of its deputies saving a dog that had been locked inside a hot van.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said that two of its deputies were called to a recreation center after witnesses saw the dog locked in the vehicle. Video showed the dog had been stuck in the van, which had been parked in direct sunlight, for almost four hours while temperatures were in the 80s.
The windows were shut and there was no visible airflow, according to the sheriff's office. The dog was also panting heavily, barking and showing signs of heat distress. Recreation center staff could not locate the owner, and the van was missing license plates, making it difficult to identify the owner.
One of the deputies broke a window and was able to get the dog out through another door. The dog was taken to a local animal hospital and was found to have a slightly elevated body temperature.
The sheriff's office says the dog was returned to its owner, who told them the van's air conditioning had been left on, but it stopped working. The owner was issued a summons for animal cruelty.