New Jersey

Dogs Abandoned on New Jersey Roof in Blazing Heat Found Covered in Tar With No Water

Humane Society officials say there was no water on the roof and the dogs appeared to have been there for some time

What to Know

  • Temperatures reached the mid-90s the day the dogs were rescued from the roof
  • An animal shelter says the pups were covered in tar and had severe burns to their paws
  • It's not clear who owned the animals, nor was it clear who was supposed to be caring for them

Two dogs suffered severe burns to the pads of their paws when they were left on a flat, tar roof in Newark amid such blazing heat rescuers say they found the rooftop boiling and bubbling when they arrived. 

The Associated Humane Popcorn Park Shelter in New Jersey's largest city says it got a call about two dogs in severe distress on the rooftop Friday, and its officers found a pit bull and Yorkie frantically "dancing" in an effort to stop their paws from burning as temperatures soared to 96 degrees. 

"The yorkie continuously ran to the edge of the roof to try to find an area that would not burn her further while the pit bull, covered in hot tar, had nearly given up hope," the shelter wrote on its Facebook page. "No one was at home at the residence and while there were trays of chicken legs and rice on the roof, there was not a drop of water in sight. Feces covered the roof as well so apparently, this is where these poor dogs live." 

Humane Society officers brought the dogs to an emergency veterinary hospital, and they were later taken to another clinic for continued recovery. 

The Humane Society says it got a message from someone claiming to own the Yorkie who said she was out of town and had entrusted the dog in another person's care. The group said it couldn't find the caretaker, and hasn't been able to get back in touch with the person claiming to own the dog. 

An update on the dogs' conditions wasn't immediately available Monday.

The tri-state is sweltering amid what is shaping up to be its worst heat wave since 2013. Temperatures exceeded the 90-degree mark across the region for a fifth straight day Monday and were expected to hit that mark again Tuesday. 

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