Ironically, man charged with leaving dog in sun thought police cruiser was too hot

June 15, 2017 at 12:09a.m.

WARREN

A man charged with animal cruelty and disorderly conduct may not have realized the irony in his request for some relief from the heat Tuesday afternoon while getting into a hot police cruiser.

James Corbett Jr., 61, of Cleveland, was questioned at the Lowe’s store on Niles-Cortland Road after a witness observed a Chow Chow in a cage in the bed of Corbett’s pickup truck for 30 minutes with no shelter or water.

First, the witness confronted Corbett because the dog was on a chain about 18 inches long in direct sunlight with an outdoor temperature of 93 degrees.

Corbett reportedly was “irate” at the woman and also screamed at other witnesses in the presence of a Warren police officer.

While the officer was talking to Corbett about the dog, Corbett also stepped toward the officer and threatened the officer to “do something about it,” the officer said.

Corbett, who was then arrested, said he wanted authorities to take the dog from him. It was taken to the county dog pound.

While being placed in the cruiser, Corbett looked at the officer and “asked if I could roll the windows down because of the heat,” the officer reported.

Corbett pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Warren Municipal Court to the charges and was released on a $2,500 personal-recognizance bond, meaning he didn’t have to pay anything. He returns to court at 1:30 p.m. July 6.

Greg Miller, Trumbull County deputy dog warden and member of the Animal Cruelty Task Force, said the dog appears to be OK, but it doesn’t take long for a dog to suffer brain damage and or heat stroke in temperatures above 90, especially a Chow because it has such a heavy coat.

Dogs cannot get rid of excess heat except through panting and through the pads on their feet, he said.

Another tip is to be careful taking a dog for a walk on a hot day because hot asphalt can burn a dog’s feet quickly.