When police freed Dreyfus from sweltering heat of a locked vehicle, the 15-year-old golden retriever lay helpless in a pool of his own urine, too exhausted to walk.
Yesterday, his owner was convicted of causing an animal distress for the June 2006 incident, which nearly took the dog’s life.
“He was in bad shape – if he was left in longer, he could have suffered heat stroke and died,” said Edmonton Humane Society spokeswoman Shawna Randolph.
As the mercury rises in summer months, so do complaints of animals trapped in hot cars. When Dreyfus was found on the 21 C afternoon, a window had been left open a crack, and his owner had been gone for two-and-a-half hours running errands.
Frantic bystanders called police, who freed the debilitated animal. He was taken to the shelter, where he was treated, and released back to his owner after two days’ recovery.
News of the conviction is bittersweet for officials, who say it will inspire animal protection officers to become more liberal with charges.
“This is a precedent-setting case,” Randolph said.
Gregory McMeekin was fined $1,500 for the crime.
