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Detroit Animal Control rescues dogs left out in freezing cold
Investigators Raymond Hoskins and Val Charleston with Detroit Animal Control respond to a call from a worried resident on the city's east side.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - On this day as Detroit Animal Control hits the streets, the frigid temperature outside is just 15 degrees.
"That's the warmest it's been all day," said Raymond Hoskins, DAC investigator. "When I started this morning it was four and it's so windy - I mean it's lethal. A lethal temperature for a dog right now."
Hoskins and fellow investigator Val Charleston with Detroit Animal Control are responding to a call from a worried resident on the city's east side.
"There's two dogs outside without any shelter," Hoskins said.
And in this weather - that's not only lethal - it's illegal.
"Here are the dogs in question," Hoskins said.
Nobody is home at the residence. A note on the door shows Detroit Dog Rescue has already been there, but they're not authorized to remove animals without an owner's permission.
Fortunately for these precious pups - animal control can, and will, take them.
"An imminent threat to the health and safety of the animal or the health and safety of the public," Hoskins said. "When that is present we have the authority to enter private property to take animals."
Investigators want to find the owner and get the dogs into the house - but nobody is there.
"We cannot leave the scene with these dogs right here," Hoskins said.
"Our main concern is making sure the puppies are warm and safe and don't freeze out here," said Charleston.
The dogs are clearly freezing - seeking out the sun and huddling together to stay warm.
"They're lethal temperatures for dogs - if left unattended, these dogs would not survive the night," Hoskins said. "This is against the law - it should not happen. When I find out who did it - they are going to be getting cited."
Hoskins: "Animal control - I have to enter the property to get those dogs."
Animal control officers arrive and quickly corral the pups - likely saving their lives.
Both dogs are now safe in the arms of the animal control officers - thank goodness for their work - thank goodness for the person who called and let them know that these dogs were in danger.
They'll now be somewhere safe.
"We definitely can't make this possible without the community - the community stepping up," Charleston said. "You can't put a price on just the reward of being able to help animals makes a huge difference - especially when you're on your way home at the end of the day - that you saved an animal's life."
Back at the site of the city's new detroit animal care and control - currently under construction - saving more lives is their goal... and the new shelter - hopefully completed this spring - will go a long way toward that mission.
"We are very excited because this location will house way more pets than our current facility," said Crystal Perkins, director general services. "So we're looking to house well over 200 dogs and then around 80 to 90 cats as well."
But for now, Perkins says the focus is on getting animals out of the freezing cold.
"We've taken over 80 calls just this week," she said. "If citizens know of dogs - especially if they're abandoned or at vacant houses please call (313) 922-DOGS (3647) and we'll get an Animal Control officer out there."