Dog dies after being left outside in crate during extreme heat; owner arrested, police say
LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - A Las Vegas woman was arrested over the weekend in connection with the death of her dog.
A video recorded last Saturday reportedly showed a dog panting before it collapsed while in an outside crate during triple-digit temperatures.
Las Vegas police said Clark County Animal Protective Services called dispatch to report the incident around 2 p.m. at an east Las Vegas home.
Detectives said the dog appeared to be locked in the crate for hours and left outside in the heat by its reported owner, 30-year-old Olivia Underwood.
Neighbor Marisela Bautista said she and others from the neighborhood intervened to help the dog on that afternoon after it collapsed, but it was too late.
“Her body was very hot,” Bautista said, describing the moment she tried to revive the dog. “I immediately poured my cold water on her to see if I could get a reaction and it wasn’t happening.”
The neighbor who recorded the video has requested to remain anonymous, but said she has been facing backlash online for how she handled the situation.
“Mostly rude comments ... that I did not do enough, that I didn’t do anything, that I should also be charged the same way as the owner,” she said.
The woman said she called animal protection services to report the dog, but did not enter the backyard or knock on the owner’s door.
“The only reason I did not go to her backyard was that I did not know the legal way. I didn’t want to get in trouble myself,” she said. “I don’t wanna get shot. I have my own family. I don’t know those people. I don’t know what they would do to me.”
A Clark County spokesperson said that for anyone who sees an animal in danger, they should animal protection services or the police immediately and provide them with the details about the current situation.
“ of the public should not attempt to remove the animal from the vehicle or a backyard. Instead, wait for animal protection services or the police to arrive,” a spokesperson for the county shared.
According to court records, Underwood has since posted bond with a scheduled court appearance coming up.
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