Dog Dies After Nassau Woman Leaves 2 Dogs on Hot Balcony: Police

HEMPSTEAD, NY – A Nassau County woman is charged with torturing animals after she left two of her dogs on a balcony, where one of them died from heat exposure earlier this week, Nassau Police said Friday.

According to police, Louise Hanif left her shih tzu and Pomeranian dogs on the balcony of her apartment building at 135 Clinton St. in Hempstead on Monday.

Hempstead Village Police officers responded to the location after receiving a complaint of a dog with possible heat exposure around 11 a.m. The animals were left in full sun exposure with no shade or means of entrance into the apartment, police said.

The officers gained access to the balcony through an adjacent apartment and rendered aid to the animals.

As a result of heat exposure, one of the dogs died at scene and the other was removed by Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter workers for treatment, police said.

It is unclear how long the dogs were left on the balcony, police said.

Hanif is charged with two counts of overdriving and torturing animals under NYS-Animal Market Law, police said. She will be arraigned on Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.