At least eight dogs have died from heat stroke and other heat related illnesses on Thursday after the air-conditioning unit malfunctioned on the truck transporting K9 German shepherds to a training facility in Michigan City, Indiana.
The driver had been transporting the dogs from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, when the air-conditioning unit stopped working, according to the Lake Station Police Department. The driver had been caught in a two-hour traffic delay. The dogs had been kept in the cargo area of the truck when some of the dogs succumbed to heat-related distress.
According to NbcChicago, there had been a total of 18 dogs in the truck. The truck driver pulled over to the side of the road when he heard the dogs barking and became concerned. He then observed the dogs in distress and began to remove the dogs from their crates. The Lake Station Fire Department, police and emergency medical services responded to the scene.
At least eight of the dogs died, but it has been estimated that 11 dogs perished; others were transported to local veterinarian hospitals. Jenny Webber, the director of The Humane Society of Hobart accused the police of not following protocol.
All of the dogs needed to be hospitalized, they were exhibiting signs, diarrhea, vomiting, even though they were up and moving, they’re not going to make it unless we get them to the hospital.
Jenny Webber to NBC News
Instead, police allowed the driver to place the dogs back into the same truck where the other dogs died and take them back to Michigan.
Updates to follow.
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