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A North Carolina dog breeder was arrested this weekend after authorities say she left six-week-old puppies in a dangerously hot car.
Whitney Johnson, 36, has been charged with seven counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty after leaving seven French Bulldog puppies in the backseat of her car when she went to eat at a local restaurant, as temperatures soared to 100 degrees (Fahrenheit).
One of the puppies was euthanized following the incident, according to the Apex Police Department in Wake County.
“We learned from witnesses that the puppies had been left inside of the vehicle for 30 to 45 minutes,” police chief Jason Armstrong told WNCN. “There were seven puppies inside, almost like a kiddy pool [and] a cover that had been put on top.”
Customers and the restaurant’s employees notified police after spotting the dogs. Responding officers discovered the car running, with no air conditioning, and the windows rolled up.
“Three of the puppies appeared to be in distress and had some respiratory challenges,” the chief said. “They were put in an oxygen chamber to get treatment. One of the puppies did not respond to the treatment.” That puppy was put down by the Wake County Animal Shelter.
Johnson posted a $1,500 bond on Saturday, according to court documents. She told WNCN on Monday that she would never do anything to harm her puppies.
“The car was on, the windows were down, and puppies were in the backseat,” she said, providing photos of the setup she had for the animals. “They were laying out of their container onto their feet on a towel. There was a fan on the floor because I have an outlet in my car.”
Johnson said that some people had approached her outside of the restaurant and voiced concerns about the puppies after she took them out of the car to clean them after they’d gone to the bathroom in the vehicle. She said people called the police when she told them she didn’t need help.
“I am not an animal abuser. I have no malicious intent to harm any animal. I have 12 dogs. I take very good care of my animals,” she told the station.
The puppies are at the Wake County Animal Shelter as the investigation continues.
