Dog locked in car brings cruelty charge
CANFIELD
A North Jackson woman was issued a summons for misdemeanor animal cruelty Wednesday after her dog was inside her vehicle with cracked windows for about 30 minutes while she was shopping for groceries.
Arlene R. Foley, 78, of North Jackson, was given the summons for a court appearance Aug. 7 in Mahoning County Area Court here in the parking lot of Giant Eagle, 525 E. Main St.
According to a police report, city police were called to the parking lot about 6 p.m. Wednesday by a concerned resident wanting a welfare check on the dog, estimated to be an Airedale Terrier or similar breed and weighed about 50 pounds. Temperatures were in the higher 80s.
Foley and her husband were inside Giant Eagle about 30 minutes and she did say the windows were cracked. Authorities said the window was cracked about an inch and a half. Foley said the dog is aggressive and therefore the window was not opened any further.
A police officer also observed no fresh water for the dog as it was "panting heavily, seemed restless, and had thick saliva which had soaked the hair around his lower jaw," the report said.
Authorities discussed the situation with an assistant Mahoning County Prosecutor, who authorized the filing of the the animal cruelty charge.