A dog left in the backyard of a home was found dead Thursday afternoon in temperatures that surpassed 100 degrees in the Miami Valley.

Animal Resource Center officers arrived in the 100 block of Wroe Avenue after receiving a complaint about a possible dead dog and a dog in distress in the backyard of a home.

Officers found one dead dog and another still alive, said Mark Kumpf, director of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center. 

The owner told officers the animals were given food and water at about 7:30 a.m. and the owner had not returned to the residence  since then.

“Unfortunately, the temperature where the dog was in the backyard was well over 115 degrees and probably suffered heat stroke,” said Kumpf.

The backyard had trees and shade, but Kumpf said, “The sun doesn’t say in same place all day. There may have well been shade this morning but it was certainly cooler this morning.”

The air temperature in Dayton at 5 p.m. was 102 degrees, which set a record for the date and tied the all-time record for the hottest day in June.

According to Kumpf, “Dogs have no way to cool themselves down when the temperature outside is over their own temperature, they cannot shed heat from panting. Potentially, the dog had heat stroke and cooked to death in the sun.”

The deceased dog was taken to the Animal Resource Center where a veterinary staff will perform a forensic exam and determine the cause of death. Depending on the cause, animal resource officers might present the case to the prosecutor’s office for potential animal cruelty charges. The owner was given a misdemeanor citation for not having the dogs properly licensed, Kumpf said.

“Best case scenario, they (pets) are friends and family, they should be inside the air conditioning with the rest of us,” Kumpf said.

If you see an animal in distress, call the Animal Resource Center at (937) 898-4457, call the Humane Society of Greater Dayton at (937) 268-PETS or call 911 in an absolute emergency.