Lake Station, IN – Several dogs were killed Thursday amidst scorching Indiana heat, after an AC unit failed in the vehicle they were traveling in.
According to Lake Station Police, it began with the transport of dogs from O’Hare Airport to a K9 training facility in Michigan City. The canines inside faced a cruel fate after the air conditioning system in their transport vehicle unexpectedly failed during a 2-hour traffic delay.
Allegedly unaware of the escalating danger inside the cargo area, the driver continued the journey, unknowingly subjecting the dogs to the sweltering temperatures. As the heat soared, some of the canines succumbed to heat-related distress, triggering an overwhelming response from emergency services and compassionate civilians.
“Since the cargo area was separated, the driver wasn’t aware at the time that the AC unit failed which caused some of the canines to go into heat related medical distress,” Police said in a statement Thursday. “The driver’s attention as to what was going on inside the cargo area was alerted to him by some of the canines barking.”
The driver would later pull over at a rest stop where the dogs would be let out but still several would succumb to heat-related deaths.
The Lake Station Police Department investigated the incident, but have ruled out animal cruelty or neglect, attributing the deaths to a freak AC failure. As the community mourns the loss of these innocent lives, the incident calls for renewed efforts to ensure the safety of animals during transit, especially in extreme weather conditions.
