A French bulldog puppy died, and six others suffered heatstroke after they were left in a hot car while a breeder went to Starbucks.
Whitney Tierra Johnson, 36, was charged with with seven counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty after passersby alleged they saw the tiny dogs trapped inside her vehicle.
The breeder from Medford, New Jersey, stopped in Apex, North Carolina, to eat at First Watch and get coffee, leaving the puppies in the car.
All seven were crammed into a small kiddy pool below one of the seats with a cover over the top, with the car off and windows up, police alleged.
A French bulldog puppy died and six others suffered heatstroke after they were left in a hot car while a breeder went to Starbucks
Apex Police chief Jason Armstrong said witnesses alleged the puppies were left inside the car for 35 to 40 minutes.
‘Three of the puppies appeared to be in distress and had some respiratory challenges,’ he said.
‘They were put in an oxygen chamber to get treatment. One of the puppies did not respond to the treatment.’
The puppy that didn’t wake up was put down by Wake County Animal Shelter.
Johnson runs Whitney’s French Bulldogs as is certified as a ‘good breeder’ by Good Dog’s Responsible Breeding Program.
‘Our sweet pups are home-raised. We put a lot of care into socializing them so they can transition easily 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’s our top priority to make sure each of our puppy families welcomes a happy and healthy new family member into their homes.’
Whitney Tierra Johnson, 36, was charged with with seven counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty after passersby alleged they saw the tiny dogs trapped inside
Apex Police chief Jason Armstrong said witnesses alleged the puppies were left inside the car for 35 to 40 minutes
Johnson disputed the series of events and the conditions her puppies were kept in after she left them alone.
She claimed bystanders confronted her after she returned to the car and took the puppies out to clean them after they relieved themselves in the car.
They asked her if she needed help and when she said she didn’t, they called police, she claimed.
‘I am not an animal abuser. I have no malicious intent to harm any animal. I have 12 dogs. I take very good care of my animals,’ she told CBS 17.
‘The car was on, the windows were down, and puppies were in the backseat. They were laying out of their container onto their feet on a towel. There was fan on the floor because I have an outlet in my car.’
‘There was a fan circulating the cold and the hot in the air because I can’t leave them in the car with the air on. They have to be a certain temperature (89F) because are still young puppies.’
All seven were crammed into a small kiddy pool below one of the seats with a cover over the top, with the car off and windows up, police alleged
Johnson further claimed it made no sense for her to put the puppies at risk as each of them was worth up to $7,500.
‘I don’t know why anyone would think I would throw my investment in the trash,’ she said.
‘I would not lock my child into a hot car, so why would I do that to my puppies? These are my babies. We would never do that. We love our animals.’
Armstrong said he heard Johnson’s version of events, but the accounts of multiple witnesses painted a different picture.
‘Their actions at that time gave the impression that the dogs were in distress,’ he said.
‘[Police officers] had an extensive conversation with the owner of the dogs and the witnesses on the scene.’
Johnson claimed police bodycam footage would exonerate her. She will face court on August 1.