Owner cited after two huskies found tied to parked car in hot Dedham parking lot

DEDHAM, Mass. — An owner was cited after his two dogs were found tied to a parked car in a hot parking lot for nearly an hour last Friday.

Dedham Animal Control says they responded to a parked motor vehicle at Legacy Place around 3 p.m. when two good Samaritans reported two huskies were left tied to the vehicle.

The temperature at the time was 89 degrees outside and the reporting parties said the dogs had been lying on the pavement for at least 45 minutes.

When the animal control officer arrived at the scene, the pups were found lying as far as they could underneath the car to seek shelter from the sun and relief from the hot pavement. There was also a thunderstorm threatening the area, adding to the animals’ stress.

Video shows the two huskies panting heavily with their tongues out.

The officer was able to retrieve the owner’s phone number from one of the dog’s collars.

The owner allegedly said he was getting “fitted for a suit” and “just” needed “another nine minutes” to complete his suit alterations.

According to Dedham Animal Control, the owner argued his decision to leave the dogs tied outside to the car “was better than leaving [the dogs] inside the hot motor vehicle.”

He was cited under Mass. General Laws c.140 § 174E: ”A person shall not leave a dog outside when a weather advisory, warning or watch is issued by a local, state or federal authority or when outside environmental conditions including, but not limited to, extreme heat, cold, wind, rain, snow or hail pose an adverse risk to the health or safety of the dog based on the dog’s breed, age or physical condition, unless the tethering is for not more than 15 minutes.”

Officials also commend the good Samaritans for alerting authorities to the distressed dogs.

“A shout out to Olivia and Tayler, for calling us, for supplying ice/water, and for once again proving ‘if you see something, say something’ really may save animals,” Dedham Animal Control wrote in a Facebook post.”

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