Owners charged after dog dies in heat in Merrillville yard, police say

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WLS) -- Two northwest Indiana dog owners are charged with animal neglect after their pet died in the heat on Wednesday.

Merrillville police say they were notified about a possible animal distress in the 5500-block of Jackson Street around 2:20 p.m.

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When officers arrived, they found the dog lying motionless under a swing set in a yard.

The dog was tethered and could not get out of the sunlight or reach a bowl of water. The temperature was over 90 degrees.

Police said the dog was breathing slowly and appeared to be suffering from severe heat-related distress. They tried cool the dog with water and get it to drink, but it was unable to.

Officers took the dog to a nearby animal hospital for emergency treatment, but it did not survive.