Litter of 8 Puppies Rescued from a Carrier with No Water on 100-Degree Texas Day

The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office saved the pups after a “good Samaritan” alerted authorities about the situation

Litter of 8 Puppies Rescued After Being Abandoned in a Carrier with No Water on 100-Degree Texas Day
Tarrant County police officer with rescued puppies. Photo:

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

A litter of puppies were rescued just in time in triple-digit Texas weather.

On Monday, June 24, eight puppies were found abandoned in a field inside of a carrier on a dangerously hot day, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office shared in a Facebook post. There was no water in the carrier.

A “good Samaritan” called in the situation, officials said, noting that temperatures soared to 100 degrees while the puppies were in the carrier.

Litter of 8 Puppies Rescued After Being Abandoned in a Carrier with No Water on 100-Degree Texas Day
Eight puppies rescued from a hot carrier on a 100-degree day in Texas.

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Photos captured after officers arrived on the scene show one officer holding half of the litter in their arms following the rescue, while another shows some of the pups sitting in the backseat of a police car.

A third shot shows an officer splashing one of the tiny canines with water as it stretches out across the seat.

According to the post, all eight dogs are now in the custody of Fort Worth Animal Care & Control, where they will receive medical exams and be put up for adoption soon.

Officials did not say anything more about the puppies’ condition or whether the circumstances that led to their abandonment are being investigated.

Fort Worth Animal Care & Control and the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Earlier this month, a similar situation arose over 1,000 miles away at New Smyrna Beach in Florida — which thankfully also ended in a rescue.

On Sunday, June 2, a dog was left inside of a U-Haul truck alone while the owners went to the beach on a hot summer day. 

He spent about an hour alone inside the vehicle, according to a report received by the New Smyrna Beach Police Department.

Litter of 8 Puppies Rescued After Being Abandoned in a Carrier with No Water on 100-Degree Texas Day
A police officer wetting one of the puppies' fur post-rescue.

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

According to police, "the windows were cracked only slightly, and no water was left inside” and “the temperature inside the vehicle was likely 100 degrees or more.”

Police also shared body cam footage of the rescue on Facebook. Taken around 3:30 p.m. local time, the video shows the canine panting heavily and trying to escape through a cracked window. "This dog is so thirsty," one of the officers says in the footage.

After the dog was rescued, it was transported to the Southeast Volusia Humane Society and charging affidavits were sent to the State Attorney's Office for the owners of the dog.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

One of PEOPLE's must-know tips for a safe, pet-friendly summer is to keep pets out of parked cars — and other enclosed areas, like a carrier.

Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet star Dr. Michelle Oakley advises, "Do not leave your dog in the car on a hot or warm day.”

“It's unreal how deathly hot a closed car can get in the sun and the shade, even with the window cracked,” Oakley tells PEOPLE. "On a modestly warm day, around 75 degrees, it takes minutes for a closed car to reach 140 degrees, and even in the shade, that car will reach 100 degrees and over quickly.”

“That can easily kill your dog in a very short period,” she adds.

Comments
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. PEOPLE does not endorse the opinions and views shared by readers in our comment sections.

Related Articles