Fourth Pit Bull Dies: ‘Della,’ Only Survivor Of 3 Other Dogs In Baking Car, Dies At Clinic

A fourth pit bull dies after being the only survivor of three other dogs left in a baking hot car last week in Sacramento. Examiner reports that the pit bull, “Della,” had such severe injuries to her internal organs, that it was too much for her body.

As reported by The Inquisitr, last Friday, the 2-year-old pit bull was with three other dogs left inside a sweltering car for almost two hours in a parking lot at Sierra Fair Apartments on Fair Oaks Boulevard. A passerby noticed four crates inside a car with dogs contained in them. Only one was alive, but desperately struggling.

Della’s photo is seen above.

Trevor Moore Courtney, 34, was the owner of the four dogs that died. Courtney told police that he left the animals inside the vehicle so he could visit his girlfriend. The man is being fined and cited. He may also be prohibited from owning animals in the future.

ABC News 10 reports on the story in-depth. The four dogs had no shelter, water, or ventilation in the car. The window was slightly cracked. A Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy broke through the windows in an attempt to save all the dogs, but only one would remain alive another day.

Dr. Jean Rabinowitz with the Sacramento County Animal Care says Della’s kidneys were so damaged, she couldn’t go on despite the care she received round-the-clock.

Senior Animal Control Officer Libby Simmons shared what Della’s condition was like before she died:

“She’s depressed. She’s bleeding out, and she’s vomiting. It’s sad. It’s sad, and it’s completely preventable.”

According to the report, Della only had a 30 percent chance of survival.

The animal shelter tells News 10 that this time of year is horrible for dogs. They treat animals for heat stroke weekly, if not daily. Della and the three other dogs were left inside Courtney’s SUV during the hottest part of the day.

This kind of tragedy is unfortunately common this time of year. Animals are sensitive to heat and people often forget that if they’re uncomfortable, the animals are as well. In some cases, more so. Dogs and other animals are at the mercy of people and must be looked after diligently. Cars heat up very quickly and even a few minutes inside a roasting vehicle is too much for both animals and people to tolerate. A huge problem also continues with infants and young children being left inside hot cars.

[Photo Credit: KXTV via News 10]