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Police arrest the golden retriever's owner after they say he left his dog more than an hour in a car parked at the Dali museum.
By LEANORA MINAI
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 5, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- While the doctor toured the Salvador Dali Museum, his golden retriever was panting inside a stifling car.
After more than an hour in temperatures above 110 degrees, Lucy, 4, was unresponsive. She died of heat stroke Sunday.
Owner Brian D. Haas, a 40-year-old Orlando ophthalmologist, was handcuffed, charged with felony animal cruelty and taken to the Pinellas County Jail. Officers noted in the arrest affidavit that Haas, being a doctor, should have known better.
"I'm sure he didn't intentionally do it, but ignorance is no excuse," said Beth Lockwood, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals executive director. "It doesn't take a lot for a person to get in their car every day and feel the heat. You'd think a person would understand."
Haas spent a night in jail and was released Monday after posting bail. He did not return telephone messages.
It is against Pinellas County law to leave an unattended animal inside a vehicle without sufficient ventilation. Offenders face up to a $500 fine, 60 days in jail or both.
"It's like frying -- literally cooking," said Dr. Kenny Mitchell of Pinellas County Animal Services.
Haas was visiting the Dali museum Sunday with his 9-year-old son, police said. Their dog was left inside the Nissan, which was parked in direct sunlight, with the rear windows down 4 inches, police said. The outside temperature was 87 degrees.
A man who was walking through the parking lot at 1:45 p.m. found Haas' son crying by the car and called police. Police learned the boy had gone outside to check on the dog and found her barely alive.
They carried Lucy to a shaded area and tried to get her to drink water, but she wouldn't, police said.
"They attempted to revive the golden retriever by bathing it in cool water," said George Kajtsa, police spokesman.
Lucy was taken to the Animal Emergency Clinic on 22nd Avenue N, where she was pronounced dead. The veterinarian told police the dog's internal temperature was 110 degrees. For a dog, normal is 101 to 1021/2 degrees.
"Even a crack in the window doesn't make any difference," said Brooks Ohman, a veterinarian assistant at Gulfport Veterinarian. "A car left in the heat for 10 minutes can heat to 120 degrees."