Pit Bull Rescue Emphasizes Dangers of Heat Exposure and Tethering

On May 12th, Arizona Humane Society Cruelty Investigators were alerted to a dog in Phoenix reported to have been left in a truck for at least two days. Upon arrival, Georgio, a 1-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier, was found tethered to the front seat of a pickup truck left in direct sunlight.

Even though it was “only” 81 degrees outside, the internal temperature of the vehicle was at a sweltering 112 degrees. Georgio was already panting heavily when investigators found him, well on his way to overheating.

Once rescued from the truck, Georgio was transferred to AHS’ trauma hospital where it was found that his vitals and prognosis were thankfully good. However, his situation could have quickly gone the other way had AHS not been alerted.

Even if the Valley’s summer temperatures weren’t currently ramping up, the act of tethering or chaining pets outside still presents a serious danger to their health and safety and can even be against the law in certain Arizona cities. AHS has launched our “Break the Chain” campaign to keep pet owners informed about these risks and provide more humane alternatives to tethering. Learn more by checking out azhumane.org/breakthechain.

Georgio has thankfully found his fur-ever home, but if you want to stay up to date on how you can keep your own pets cool this summer, please visit azhumane.org/nohotdogsaz.