A chihuahua fighting for survival in triple-digit heat near West Ann Road and Simmons Street became the latest victim of what animal advocates are calling a disturbing trend across the Las Vegas valley. The small dog was discovered Tuesday desperately seeking shade as temperatures soared above 110 degrees, rescued by volunteer Kristi Cabena from Paws Patrol just in time to avoid a fatal outcome.
According to 8 News Now, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department statistics reveal a troubling 34.5% increase in animal cruelty reports this year, accompanied by a 70% rise in related arrests. The rescue comes at a time when animal protection resources are stretched thin during the desert’s most dangerous season for pets.
“We found her over here gathering whatever little bit of shade she could,” Cabena explained to reporters. “She was panting; she was clearly hot, tired, and stressed.” The Paws Patrol volunteer, whose nonprofit organization responds to calls about lost or abandoned animals around the clock, emphasized the deadly nature of such abandonment: “In this heat, they don’t survive long.”
Pattern of Abandonment Continues
The chihuahua’s rescue represents just one case in what has become a relentless pattern of animal cruelty across Southern Nevada. As reported by 8 News Now, another dog named Emelia was discovered at a North Las Vegas apartment complex last week with a broken leg and other signs of abuse, while police responded to a home in the east valley where a woman was accused of hoarding 48 sick and dead cats…