Dog found brain-damaged after being left in boiling hot car in US
US police were shocked to discover a convulsing, brain-damaged dog after it was left in a car in sweltering heat.
Pedro was found suffering spasms in a vehicle in Lakeside, Colorado, on Tuesday afternoon.
Heart-breaking footage caught on police officer Dave Kornowski’s body cam showed the animal suffering in the heat.
Pedro was taken to a local vet surgery, and is still critically ill.
The dog is suffering from ‘neurological issues’ after he was left for a significant amount of time - and vets fear he could end up permanently disabled.
The temperature inside the car reached 51C (123F).
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Referring to the local area’s high altitude in the Rocky Mountains, Officer Kornowski said: "People don’t realise we’re a mile high so we’re even closer to the sun."
The dog owner approached the car after the office had smashed its window, and started screaming about the damage caused.
The unnamed owner then got into the vehicle and drove off at speed, but police chased him and he was subsequently arrested.
It is not known if Pedro's owner will face criminal charges.
Dogs can only tolerate higher temperatures for short lengths of time, much shorter than adult humans can tolerate.
Official figures show a dog’s normal temperature is between 101 and 102.5F.
When a dog’s temperature reaches 105.8F, permanent brain damage begins to occur.
Multiple organ failure and death can occur between 107 to 109 F.