Woman Gets Jail Time For Leaving 11 Dogs in Van in Extreme Heat

A Round Lake woman who left 11 dogs in crates in a van in Palatine on a 90-degree day last August has been sentenced to jail time after she was convicted Thursday during a bench trial.

Two of those dogs died of heat exhaustion and nine more were treated for dehydration and skin and ear infections. All of the surviving dogs have been adopted, according to the Daily Herald.

On Thursday, a Cook County judge found Gloria Martinez, 41, of 101 Nasa Circle in Round Lake, guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty and sentenced her to 30 days in jail, two years of probation and also ordered her to pay the Palatine Police Department more than $6,000 for the emergency medical care a suburban vet provided to the dogs, according to the Daily Herald. She has also been ordered not to possess any animals during the period of her probation.

Those charges stem from the discovery of the dogs in distress on Aug. 17, 2015 after Martinez left her Chevrolet van parked at an Advance Auto in Palatine with the dogs inside. Police came upon Martinez’s van at about 3:16 p.m. The back door of the van was open and an officer observed crates and cages stacked from floor to ceiling, police said in August 2015.

With temps in the 90s, the officer looked inside to find dogs foaming at the mouth and sitting in feces, police said. Some of the dogs were whimpering.

As the officer approached the van, a female passenger got out of the van and attempted to close the back van door. She told the officer the van belonged to her and let the officer into the van so he could check on the well-being of the dogs, according to the news release.

“The officer immediately observed a French Bulldog that was not moving,” according to the news release.

More officers arrived on scene and began to pull the cages from the van and offer the dogs water. Three dogs that appeared to be the most distressed were put in squad cars and were immediately taken to Golf Rose Animal Hospital, police said.

Two of those dogs died of heat stroke.The remaining dogs were taken inside the air-conditioned Advanced Auto building. They were then all transported to the animal hospital for treatment.