At 11:17 am on July 30th, 2022, Beaverton Police Officers were dispatched to the 4700 block of SW Murray Boulevard on a report of a distressed dog locked in a vehicle. When Officers arrived, they located Gazer, an almost 2-year-old German Shepherd, locked inside a stopped vehicle, with all the windows up, and in clear medical distress. The outdoor temperature at the time was 89 degrees.
Once Officers were able to remove Gazer from the vehicle, with help from neighbors, they attempted to cool him. Officers learned Gazer had been in the vehicle for at least 35 minutes. Gazer remained in medical distress and was transported by Beaverton Police to a nearby veterinary hospital. Despite efforts by veterinary staff, Gazer’s condition was not survivable. Gazer’s owner, Calvin Jordan, consulted with veterinary staff and made the decision to euthanize Gazer.
Mr. Jordan was taken into custody for Animal Abuse in First Degree and was lodged at the Washington County Jail.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the inside air temperature of a vehicle can rise 20 degrees in 10 minutes, almost 30 degrees in 30 minutes, and 40 degrees in one hour. “Cracking a window” makes no difference.
The Beaverton Police Department would like to remind animal owners to remember: “If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them.”
