A French bulldog puppy died and six others suffered heatstroke after being left in a hot car while a breeder went to Starbucks.
Whitney Tierra Johnson, 36, was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty after passersby claimed they saw the small dogs in her vehicle.
The breeder from Medford, New Jersey, stopped in Apex, North Carolina, for dinner and coffee at First Watch, leaving the puppies in the car.
According to police, all seven were in a small kiddie pool, under one of the seats, with a cover over it. The car was turned off and the windows were rolled up.
A French bulldog puppy died and six others suffered heatstroke after being left in a hot car while a breeder went to Starbucks
According to Apex Police Chief Jason Armstrong, witnesses said the puppies were left in the car for 35 to 40 minutes.
“Three of the puppies appeared to be in distress and had difficulty breathing,” he said.
“They were placed in an oxygen chamber to be treated. One of the puppies did not respond to the treatment.”
The puppy that did not wake up was put down by the Wake County Animal Shelter.
Johnson runs Whitney’s French Bulldogs and is certified as a good breeder through Good Dog’s Responsible Breeding Program.
“Our lovely puppies are raised in our home. We pay a lot of attention to socializing them so they can easily transition into their new lives,” her Good Dogs profile reads.
“We have developed several protocols to ensure the health and well-being of all of our dogs. It is our top priority to ensure that each of our puppy families welcomes a happy and healthy new family member into their home.”
Whitney Tierra Johnson, 36, was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty after passersby claimed they saw the small dogs tied up in the car.
According to Apex Police Chief Jason Armstrong, witnesses said the puppies were left in the car for 35 to 40 minutes.
Johnson disputed the series of events and the conditions in which her puppies were kept after she left them alone.
She claimed that bystanders confronted her when she returned to the car and took the puppies outside to clean them up after they relieved themselves in the car.
They asked her if she needed help and when she said no, they called the police, she claimed.
“I am not an animal abuser. I have no bad intentions to harm animals. I have 12 dogs. I take very good care of my animals,” she said CBS-17.
“The car was running, the windows were down, and there were puppies in the backseat. They were out of their litter box, on their feet, on a towel. There was a fan on the floor because I have an outlet in my car.”
“There was a fan that circulated the cold and the hot air because I can’t leave them in the car with the air conditioning on. They have to be a certain temperature (89F) because they’re young puppies.”
All seven were in a small kiddie pool under one of the seats with a cover over it, with the car off and the windows up, police alleged.
Johnson further claimed that it made no sense for her to put the puppies in danger since they were each worth approximately $7,500.
“I don’t understand why anyone would think I would throw my investment in the trash,” she said.
“I wouldn’t lock my child in a hot car, so why would I lock my puppies in a hot car? These are my babies. We would never do that. We love our animals.”
Armstrong said he had heard Johnson’s version of events, but that accounts from several witnesses painted a different picture.
“Their behavior at that time gave the impression that the dogs were in distress,” he said.
‘[Police officers] spoke extensively with the owner of the dogs and the witnesses on site.’
Johnson claimed that police body camera footage would exonerate her. She is scheduled to appear in court on August 1.
