Nine cats and dog ‘living inside’ locked, hot car are rescued. ‘Resilient bunch’
A bunch of animals are on the mend after being trapped in an extremely dangerous situation in Ohio.
The ten animals were left alone in a hot car, the Licking Country Humane Society in Heath said.
“Just this weekend, our Humane Agents responded to a heartbreaking case: 9 cats and a senior dog were living inside a locked car, parked in the sun during dangerous heat,” the shelter said in a July 1 Facebook post.
“Our team had to break into the vehicle to save them.”
The animals were sprung free from the vehicle, and not in good shape.
“Most of the cats are in poor health, nearly all require extensive dental surgeries just to start their journey toward recovery and adoption. But they are a resilient bunch who now know a place of comfort and care,” the shelter said.
The shelter posted a video of the animals, showing them inside their kennels and a lot of the cats looking for attention from the humans helping them heal.
Leaving pets unattended in car is dangerous, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website.
“Your vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts your pet at risk of serious illness or death—even on a day that doesn’t seem that hot, and even if the car is left in the shade. And cracking the windows makes no difference,” the AVMA said, adding that cold weather can also be dangerous for pets.
Heath is about a 35-mile drive northeast from Columbus.
This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Nine cats and dog ‘living inside’ locked, hot car are rescued. ‘Resilient bunch’."