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The short explanation of this alert was:

When PETA received complaints accusing Clay County, Florida, officials of intentionally placing a dog from the county animal shelter in a closed vehicle and leaving the animal there for an entire hour in mid-afternoon heat, we almost couldn't believe it. But internal county documents and news reports confirm that county officials did indeed conduct this outrageously cruel "experiment" on a dog in their custody to "recreate" the conditions believed to be responsible for the September 10 death of another dog in their care, a Rottweiler named Diamond. Diamond died of apparent heat-related shock after Clay County Animal Control (CCAC) Officer Billy Wilson left her in an animal control vehicle—without air-conditioning or even access to water or fresh air—on an 85ºF day.

Everyone knows that even just a few minutes in a car on a summer day can be harmful and deadly. Leaving animals in closed vehicles is explicitly addressed in the criminal codes protecting animals in several states. However, Wilson's improper conduct pales in comparison to Clay County's public officials' willful decision to cause intentional torment to a dog in an utterly unnecessary and crude experiment.

PETA is calling on the state attorney's office to launch a criminal investigation into the incident. We are also filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calling for an investigation of the experiment and asking the agency to file all appropriate charges at the federal level. We believe that the experiment was a violation of federal law because it was not conducted in a USDA-approved facility, nor was it screened by the required oversight committee.

The current whereabouts of the dog who was used in the disgraceful experiment are unknown. We also do not know if he or she received appropriate—and surely needed—professional veterinary medical care.

You Can Help
Please join us in contacting the Board of Commissioners of Clay County, Florida, today. Urge the Board to do the following immediately:

Please also send polite comments to:

Clay County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 1366
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
904-284-6376
904-278-4731 (fax) 



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