Two puppies die after being left inside hot van at LaGrange Animal Shelter, officials say

Written by: A. Smith

Published August 8, 2025 @ 9:01 AM ET

TROUP COUNTY, Ga. – Two puppies died last month after being left in a transport van at the LaGrange Animal Shelter, authorities said.

The incident happened July 25, when an animal control officer drove to Auburn, Ala., to pick up animals that had been treated by a veterinarian, according to LaGrange police. He returned to the shelter between 11 and 11:15 a.m.

A veterinarian was at the shelter to perform euthanasia, so the returning animals were temporarily kept in the transport van, officials said. The van was moved shortly before noon to make room for a FedEx delivery, and the air conditioning was reportedly working at that time.

At about 12:30 p.m., a temporary service worker noticed the van felt warmer and saw cats panting but not in distress, police said. No one notified other shelter staff.

After euthanasia procedures ended, two workers found the van hot and the animals in distress. They were immediately taken to a veterinarian.

Of the 16 animals inside, 11 cats showed no signs of distress, and one dog suffered from heat exhaustion but is expected to recover, according to officials. The two puppies were the only animals that died.

Police said the cause of the air conditioning failure is still unknown. The van will be inspected at the city repair shop.

The shelter plans to install a heat alarm in the vehicle to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

No employees are expected to face charges, police said.