At least eight police dogs died in the back of a van as they were transported across the United States in the middle of a sweltering heatwave.
The German shepherds are feared to have overheated and died as they were moved from Chicago to a police training centre in Indiana and an air-conditioning unit in the vehicle failed.
According to the New York Times, a local animal rescue organisation suggested 18 dogs were in the vehicle, estimating that at least eight of them had died as a result of the air conditioning failure on July 28.
Police said the driver of the vehicle was on the way to an airport when he was caught in a 2-hour traffic delay and the air conditioner being used to keep the canines cool failed. The temperature rose inside the back of the truck without the driver’s knowledge and some of the pups went into heat-related medical distress.
The driver only realised the dogs were in trouble when they started barking.
He stopped some 60 miles away from the airport and enlisted help to remove the crated canines.
The Lake Station Police Department did not confirm how many dogs were killed in the “freak event.”
A spokesman for the force said: “There was an overwhelming response from both agencies so much so that civilians and so many others stopped to help where they could. The scene was choatic and took an emotional toll on all that were involved in trying to save as many canines as possible.
“Any loss of life is tragic and thoughts and prayers are with all those that were affected by this ‘freak event’.”
Jennifer Webber, executive director of the Humane Society of Hobart, responded to the call at 7:40 p.m. and said the dogs displayed signs of heatstroke: Salivating heavily, wobbling, vomiting and convulsing.
“There were already several dogs dead on the scene, and multiple failing fast,” Webber said. “Their crates inside the truck were completely trashed on the inside and the little water bowls were the size you’d give a parrot. And they were empty and torn up as if the dogs were exasperated.”
It came as climate change fans hotter and longer heat waves, breaking record temperatures across the US and leaving dozens dead. Research suggests the poorest Americans suffer the hottest days with the fewest defences. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
As Phoenix weathered its 27th consecutive day above 110 degrees (43 celsius) Wednesday, the nine who died indoors didn’t have functioning air conditioning, or it was turned off. Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
