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MILLCREEK — A dog died during a hike on a popular Salt Lake County trail Tuesday afternoon, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Search and Rescue officials say.
The agency responded to a report of a dehydrated hiker and dog on the Grandeur Peak Trail in Millcreek Canyon shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The hiker reported that the dog, a lab, was able to walk a little way down from the summit, but they stopped to look for shade after the dog was unable to continue. The dog died at some point afterward and the hiker continued down to the trailhead to report the incident, officials wrote in a report of the incident.
"The hiker had no water at this time and it's unknown how much, if any, water was taken on the hike," the agency wrote.
After some initial struggles, a search and rescue team member was able to pull GPS coordinates from a photo the hiker took before heading down the trail. They were eventually able to locate the dog's carcass and bring it off the mountain with a litter wheel system.
Temperatures reached as high as 97 degrees in Salt Lake Valley Tuesday.
The Red Cross of Utah advised pet owners to track warning signs of heat-related illnesses in pets in early July, as hot summer temperatures returned throughout the state. The American Veterinary Medicine Association recommends taking pets out for walks in the early morning or evening hours on hot days, as well as having pets walk on grass and have ready access to shade and water.
Signs that a pet is overheating include:
- Panting frantically
- Producing excess saliva
- Bright red gums, tongue, or whites of eyes
- Difficulty breathing
- Lethargic or unable to get up
"A good rule of thumb is if it feels too hot outside for you to engage in strenuous activity, then your pets are most likely feeling the heat even more intensely," said Jeremiah Lafranca, executive director of the American Red Cross of Utah Greater Salt Lake Chapter.
