Dog's Death Believed To Be Heat-Related

Just before noon Saturday, Wake County Animal Control received a call from frantic neighbors concerned about a dog left unattended in a pen.

Tony Capaforte was working in his yard, he said, when he heard the dog barking. He said the boxer mix barked through much of the night and the morning. But then, the barking suddenly stopped, Capaforte said.

"Twelve hours in the sun. All night barking, no water, no food, no shade, a young dog, a good dog," Capaforte said. "I hate to see something like that happen to the animal."

Scott Allen, a spokesman for the Wake County Animal Control, said the dog's death appeared to be heat-related.

"Animals aren't that different from people when it comes to heat. If it's too hot for humans, it's also too hot for animals," Allen said.

Allen said the dog's owners would be charged with animal cruelty. He added that animal control plans to perform an autopsy to determine the exact cause of the dog's death. The dog's owners would not talk about what happened.

As for Capaforte, he offered a piece of advice for pet owners who keep their pets outdoors.

"With it going to be so hot, take care of your pets and pay extra attention," he said. "Just be careful."