Eight puppies abandoned in dangerous heatwave are rescued by police

Texas police rescued eight puppies they say were abandoned in a dangerous heat wave without water this week.

The pups were left in a carrier in Fort Worth, Texas, in 100F (37C) weather , the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said this week. A good Samaritan came to their rescue, calling the sheriff’s office to the scene.

The adorable pups are now all named after snacks: Cheetos, Fritos, Ruffles, Lays Potato, Cheese Itz, Doritos and Pringles. They are six weeks old and likely a shepherd mix, the sheriff’s office said.

The puppies were taken to the Chuck & Brenda Silcox Animal Care & Adoption Center, the sheriff’s office said in a Friday morning update.

Within hours, the sheriff’s office posted that all eight puppies had found new homes. Deputy Collin Stephenson, who responded to the original call, adopted one of the pups.

Police will likely never catch the person who abandoned the puppies, the sheriff’s office said, because there were no surveillance cameras in the area.

When the puppies were abandoned earlier this week, much of Texas was suffering through a heat wave.

Monday’s triple-digits made it the hottest day of the month in Fort Worth so far, according to National Weather Service data.

The Texas heat wave came just after a heat dome — an atmospheric event that traps heat — settled over the central and eastern US. Some 270 million people experienced extreme temperatures. Major cities like Chicago, Illinois and Hartford, Connecticut broke temperature records as a result.

Hot weather can be dangerous for humans and animals alike. Just like children, animals should never be left in hot cars, which can heat up to 120F (48C) on a triple-digit day, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said.

As the climate crisis drives more extreme and frequent heatwaves in the US and around the world, experts say 2024 will likely be the hottest year on global record following the record-setting 2023.