Dogs in Detroit Die From Heatstroke After Being Left Without Water

We've had some brutally hot weather over the past couple of weeks, and just like people, it doesn't take long for a dog to overheat if it's left without water or a way to cool off.

Sadly, that's what appears to have happened in two separate cases in Detroit.

Buddy and Weather both died during last week's extreme heat, and now Detroit police are investigating.

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According to FOX 2 Detroit, local rescue groups say they'd been keeping an eye on both dogs for months and doing everything they could to help, but in the end, it just wasn't enough.

Rescuers Say They Tried to Help Before It Was Too Late

One rescue group says they stopped by Weather's home just a few days before he died and found him with no water, covered in flies, and suffering from open wounds on his ears.

They left food and fresh water and again asked the owner to surrender the dogs so they could be cared for safely, but the owner refused.

When they returned just a few days later, Weather had died. Unbelievable.

Buddy's story was just as heartbreaking. Another rescue group says they had been checking on him for years before finding him dead during the same stretch of dangerous heat. Years. I can't even imagine.

Rescue Groups Want Tougher Animal Cruelty Penalties

The rescue groups are beyond frustrated, and honestly, I get it. The whole thing is disgusting. They keep watching as animals suffer, only to see many of these cases end with little or no real punishment.

Now they're calling for tougher penalties and lifetime bans on owning pets for people convicted of severe neglect or abuse. If someone treats an animal like this, they shouldn't be allowed to have another one. It's as simple as that. Whatever we're doing now clearly isn't working.

Detroit police are investigating both cases.