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SALT LAKE CITY — For the second time in two days, a dog died as a result of not being properly cared for in the hot weather.
On Wednesday, Salt Lake fire crews along with Salt Lake Animal Services were called to an apartment complex, 315 E. 4th Ave., where a German Shepherd named Bergen was reportedly left on an outdoor, upper level patio for four hours. A neighbor attempted to spray water on the dog before calling police.
Animal services spokeswoman Sandy Nelson said her office and firefighters were called about 3:20 p.m. They arrived to find the dog had no shelter or water.
Firefighters used a ladder to reach the balcony. Bergen's body temperature was recorded at 108 degrees, Nelson said. Normal body temperature for a dog is between 100 and 102 degrees.
"When a dog's body temperature reaches 107 is when serious internal issues can happen," Nelson said.
The dog was taken to the shelter where it was given fluids and an ice bath. A note was left on the apartment door by animal control officials letting the tenant know where the dog had been taken.
The dog was reportedly being watched by someone else at the time. The owner later arrived at the shelter for Bergen. The dog was transported to a vet clinic ER and released to the owner, Nelson said. The dog, however, later died.
When a dog's body temperature reaches 107 is when serious internal issues can happen.
–Sandy Nelson, Salt Lake Animal Services spokeswoman
The Humane Society of Utah is calling for charges to be filed against the person who left Bergen on the deck.
"Our organization believes Bergenʼs death meets the criteria of 'torture' as defined by Utahʼs state criminal code," the Humane Society said in a prepared statement.
"There must be justice for Bergen. And a message must be sent to our community that this type of treatment of animals simply will not be tolerated," Humane Society of Utah Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt said.
The incident comes just a day after another dog, a 140-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback, died and a second suffered dehydration after being taken for a walk on the Shoreline Trail for an hour with no water.
Animal services ruled that dog's death an accident.
Contributing: Nkoyo Iyamba
