A woman left her Rottweiler in her car for five hours while she was in court at the Gwinnett County jail, causing the dog’s death, the sheriff’s Office said.
Connie Wright Gomez, 46, has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
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Gomez went to the jail as a “court visitor” around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, leaving her dog, Rambo, in her car, she told deputies. The car’s windows had been open about an inch.
Around 6:30 p.m., deputies heard Gomez mention she had left her dog in the car. One of the deputies went with Gomez to the car to check on the dog because the weather had been warm all day, with a high temperature of 82 degrees. When they arrived at the car, Rambo was dead.
When temperatures outside range from 80 degrees to 100 degrees, the temperature inside a car parked in direct sunlight can quickly climb to between 130 to 172 degrees, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Gomez was arrested and booked into jail. She is being held on a $16,700 bond.
Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway expressed dismay at the case. Conway began the Operation Second Chance “jail dogs” program, which matches jail inmates with adoptable dogs and cats. The inmates train and socialize the animals.
“I hope this poor dog’s horrific death reminds pet owners to make responsible choices for their pets,” Conway said.
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