A drug-sniffing dog handled by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections died after he was left in a vehicle July 7.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is investigating the death of a police dog they say was left in a hot car for more than two hours last week.
According to prison officials, a 2-year-old yellow lab named Totti was left in the vehicle at a state prison in Centre County July 7 while his handler took part in a training exercise.
"When the trainer realized the situation, he and other unit staff worked to cool the dog by hosing him down with water and by carefully cooling him with ice," the department said in a statement.
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Totti was rushed to a veterinarian while still conscious. However, he died that same evening, officials said.
"DOC employees are extremely saddened by this tragic event," the statement said.
The statement said the handler walked away from the vehicle without realizing the dog was inside.
The department said it is conducting a full investigation into the matter.
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Dog deaths in hot cars are shockingly common, in part because not all dog owners realize how easily tragedy can strike.
Even on a day when it’s 70 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car with all the windows closed can hit 90 degrees in just 10 minutes, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
On a hot day, the temperature inside a closed car can shoot as high as 116 degrees in the same amount of time.
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