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Pittsburgh woman charged with leaving dogs outside for 2 days in heat wave

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A Pittsburgh woman is facing animal cruelty charges after police said she left her dogs outside in 90-degree temperatures for two days, giving both of them heat stroke. 

Thirty-eight-year-old Christine Crowther was charged with aggravated animal cruelty and animal neglect after police were called to 44th Street in Lawrenceville on Tuesday afternoon, where animal control officers said two dogs were dying from heat exhaustion. 

Police find dogs outside in 90-degree heat

According to the criminal complaint, investigators said one of the dogs was found directly in the sun with no shelter. The dog was panting uncontrollably and its eyes were rolling back in its head, police said. It couldn't even move, so officers said they had to drag it into the shade. 

There was water, but according to the criminal complaint, both dogs were tethered and couldn't reach. They also didn't have access to any shelter. Investigators noted that the temperature at the time was in the 90s and Allegheny County was under an extreme heat warning. 

Police said they talked to the owner, Christine Crowther, who said that she had left her dogs outside for two days because she didn't have anywhere to stay. When officers told her about the danger she had put her dogs in, she said, "a lot of people leave their dogs out," police wrote in the criminal complaint.

The dogs were taken to the hospital, where a vet said both had suffered from heat stroke. Police said the vet told them that one of the dogs had a temperature of 109 and the other had a temperature of 105. 

How to keep your pets safe in the heat

With Pittsburgh in the middle of a heat wave, animal advocates have been reminding people to protect their pets. If it's hot for you, that means it's even hotter for them. 

During the heat, it's important to keep pets hydrated by giving them plenty of fresh, clean and cool water. Time outside should be limited, and if you are heading out, make sure the asphalt isn't too hot, because it can burn a pet's paws. 

Know the signs of overheating: excessive panting, trouble breathing, drooling and an increased heart rate. If your pet is collapsing, having a seizure or has bloody diarrhea or vomiting, then they may be experiencing a heat-related emergency. 

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