WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WNCN) — For the second time in the past five days, someone is facing charges for animal cruelty after being accused of leaving their dogs in cars in the blazing heat.
On Tuesday in the parking lot of the Best Western in Cary, witnesses called the police after they spotted an English Terrier inside of a locked car.
“When the fire [department] arrived on the scene, they say the dog was on its back and the temperature inside the vehicle was well over 100 degrees,” prosecutors said in court. “The dog was immediately rushed to the animal hospital.”
Officials said they found the dog’s owner, 55-year-old Paul Chester Fisher, in his hotel room.
“He said he knew the dog was in the car and put the dog in there because the dog was acting up,” prosecutors said.
Fisher faced a judge on Wednesday. He is charged with Felony Animal Cruelty and having stolen plates. If he bonds out of jail, the judge said he is not allowed any contact with his dog or other animals.
The incident with Fisher comes five days after a New Jersey breeder was charged in Apex for leaving seven French Bulldog puppies in her backseat while she went inside of a restaurant. One of the six-week-old puppies had to be put down because it was not responding to treatment for heat stress.
Whitney Johnson is facing seven counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty in connection with the Apex incident.
“I don’t know what is triggering this,” said Dr. Jennifer Federico, the Wake County Animal Services director. “This is unusual, especially to have two charged cases right back-to-back. And it’s not like we haven’t been in the middle of a heat wave. I don’t know why this is becoming a trend. It needs to quit now.”
Federico’s staff is caring for all seven of the dogs as their owners go through the legal process. She said people don’t seem to understand hot a vehicle can get, especially during this heat wave the area is experiencing.
“It’s not fair to these animals,” Federico said. “They can’t do anything. They can’t call 911 for help. They can’t open the doors, they can’t help themselves. They’re like babies and left in cars. It is so infuriating that this happens because it’s 100% preventable.”
Federico said if people see a dog in a car that does not have AC on and appears to be in distress, they should call police and not try to free the dogs themselves. She also said because of the extreme temperatures, every dog owner should take extra precautions right now.