Dog left on balcony in Pleasanton dies from heat stroke

PLEASANTON, Calif. (KGO) — A dog died on a Pleasanton apartment balcony on Tuesday as neighbors watched and helplessly waited.

A warning, the video could be disturbing for some viewers.

It shows the dog in distress at Galloway Apartments as neighbors called for help.

Lisa Hanson lives around the corner and came as soon as she saw the video on Nextdoor.

“I love my dog, and it’s abuse. The video is graphic, it’s disturbing,” Hanson said.

The woman who recorded the video, who wished to remain anonymous, shared screenshots of her attempt to call for help.

TIPS: How to keep pets safe in hot weather

At 11:58 a.m., she called the police non-emergency number.

She then called the department’s Animal Services Unit five times before trying non-emergency dispatch again.

She ended up calling 911 at 12:31 p.m.

Police say dispatchers received the call around noon, and that officers arrived on scene within 15 minutes of being dispatched.

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But witnesses tell us they didn’t see officers arrive until after 1 p.m.

Pleasanton resident Diego Perez noticed police presence outside when he got home.

“It’s really sad seeing a dog left on a balcony. It was almost a 100 (degrees) yesterday, and with my dog, even being on the patio for five minutes he overheats,” Perez said.

The Police Department’s Animal Services Officers say they tried contacting the leasing office in an attempt to locate the dog’s owner but were unsuccessful.

We tried to get a hold of someone and were unsuccessful too.

“People who own this apartment complex and who manage it they need to make sure everyone is abiding by certain rules. Animal cruelty and abuse? That’s ok? No, it’s not,” Hanson said.

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In the video, you can see the dog lifting his or hers paws, panting and other signs of distress.

It died by the time police arrived.

“People need to be aware that on these hot days, turn your air conditioner on, keep your pet inside and if you can’t do that- don’t have a pet,” Hanson said.

In a statement, police said:

“The preliminary stages of the investigation suggest this was not intentional, however, as our detectives conduct a complete and thorough investigation, we kindly ask for the community’s patience. If you witness any animals in distress, please call 911 right away.”