Body Cam Captures Police Officer Rescuing Unresponsive Puppy from Hot Vehicle

We know not to leave puppies or children in a car on hot days. We know this.

We expect others to know this, and yet without fail, more stories of both dogs and children being left in cars continue to pop up.

The sad stories of lost lives have spurred all sorts of solutions. Apps and seat sensors exist to help parents remember to check the back seat.

For pets, some people have designed “dog lockers” — small, air-conditioned rentable units outside stores that will keep dogs cool and calm while their owners shop.

Tesla has even come up with “Dog Mode,” a setting that keeps the locked car climate-controlled and displays a message on the screen that lists the inside temperature and explains that the owner will be back soon.

But these aren’t real options for many people, and as a result some people still decide to “risk it.”

One of the more recent incidents took place in Clermont County, Ohio, where Officer Sherri Howard with Miami Township Police had to rescue a puppy from a locked car.

“Officer Howard was dispatched to a puppy locked in a vehicle for more than an hour on an 86 degree day,” Miami Township Police shared Aug. 18. “She found that the puppy was unresponsive in the floor of the car and see what she does next.”

The body camera video shows the officer first trying to unlock the door, but when that fails, she breaks the window. Time was of the essence, and with the pup already having been in the car for a while, Officer Howard had to move quickly.

She got the puppy out of the car and offered it some water from a bottle.

“NEVER leave children or animals alone in a hot car,” the post continued. “They can’t get out of the car that gets hotter and hotter by the minute.”

“Animal control responded and took custody of the puppy and they are handling the case.”

There must have been many questions about the fate of the puppy, as the police department clarified which group was taking care of the pup, which appeared to be a beagle.

“As a follow up to many questions: Clermont County Animal Control responded and took custody of the puppy and they are handling the case,” police posted in the comments.

As with any dog-related rescue story, the internet applauded the officer’s efforts, and the story has been shared across multiple platforms.

“Officer Sherri Howard has become quite the International celebrity after saving the puppy,” Miami Township Police shared Aug. 20. “Media requests are coming from Canada and London.

“She is trending on TikTok with 2.5 million views. The overwhelming majority of police officers are good people as Sherri is just one example the good that is done.”

Hopefully the story will be a reminder and a PSA to everyone about the dangers of leaving helpless creatures in cars on hot days.