Man arrested after his dog died while taking it on walk on boiling hot day
Claire Reid
Featured Image Credit: 3TV/CBS 5/Eternity in an Instant (stock image)
A man was arrested after his dog died from a heat-related illness after a hike up a mountain in Phoenix, Arizona.
Phoenix Fire Technical Rescue teams were dispatched to Piestewa Peak Trailhead after 29-year-old Daniel Milunovic called to say he and his two dogs were overheating.
When the fire crews reached Milunovic, one of the dogs had already died, according to officials.
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The team were able to safely walk Milunovic and the other dog down the mountain.
Milunovic did not require medical treatment following the incident, but the other dog was rapidly cooled down by firefighters. It’s unclear what condition the dog is in now.
In a statement, Phoenix Police Sergeant Robert Scherer said: "The rescue was completed by Phoenix Fire personnel, which included an adult male identified as 29-year-old Daniel Milunovic and two dogs.
"One dog was deceased when fire contacted them on the mountain and the other dog was in heat distress."
Milunovic was arrested and issued a citation in lieu of detention for charges to include neglect of animals, officials have said.
According to police, an animal cruelty investigation relating to the dead dog is ongoing.
The statement continued: "If after these evaluations, it is determined that charging a more significant charge is appropriate, the necessary measures will occur.”
Doctor Sam Tytler, who was hiking on Piestewa Peak, told Fox: "We tried to resuscitate the dog, put some water on him, did some CPR.
"Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a heartbeat."
He added: "There are signs that say no dogs on this trail. You know dogs have higher body temperature, they have no sweat glands, this is just a terrible event."
Although dogs are welcomed on the trails during the cooler months, in 2016 the city of Phoenix introduced a law banning them when temperatures hit 100 degrees or more.
Captain Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department said: "There’s a reason why no one should be on this trail right now, whether it’s a human, whether it’s a dog.
"It’s 110 degrees out right now, we’re in an Excessive Heat Warning. This is why these laws are implemented, so dogs don’t die. So people don’t die."
Tracey Miller from the Arizona Humane Society told the news outlet that the damage the surviving dog sustained could be irreparable.
She said: "They may never be able to recover from this because their internal temperature has gotten so high, that for lack of a better word, it basically cooks their brain. So they could have long term damage.”