Details Emerge In Heatstroke Death Of Dog Trapped On Balcony

PLEASANTON, CA - The dog that died on a Pleasanton balcony Tuesday died after it inadvertently let itself onto the balcony and could not get back inside, according to a Pleasanton Police Department investigation. Police also said that they could find no evidence of animal cruelty or neglect.

The Pleasanton Police Department said in a Thursday news release that they conducted a thorough investigation, which included watching video footage and speaking to multiple neighbors. Police said the dog left the apartment between 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. on the 100-degree day, but could not get back inside. By noon, the dog was in obvious distress, and succumbed to heat stroke.

Patch reached out to the Pleasanton Police Department for a better sense of how exactly the dog got outside, but couldn’t get back inside. The dog's owner sent a statement to ABC7 confirmed this report:

"This unbelievable tragedy struck unexpectedly, stemming from her learned behavior of letting herself onto the balcony for fresh air and sunbathing-a skill I taught her to help her move around freely and assumed no danger. It's difficult to comprehend how something so innocent could lead to such a devastating outcome. I want to clarify that she was not let out and forgotten outside; I received a call from my leasing office at 11:59 AM informing me she was on the patio and did not indicate there were signs of distress. Despite my frantic rush home, I couldn't save her in time."

The owner said the dog, named Zene, was his "emotional support animal and cherished companion for the last four years, filling my life with joy and comfort." He asked for privacy during this difficult time.

Police said they worked with a local veterinarian, who confirmed that Zene died due to fatal heat stroke, and did not display other signs of injury or neglect. The leasing office also told police that that apartment had no history of calls for service regarding animal welfare.

Zene's death prompted a community uproar after a social media post went viral. Pleasanton police initially said that the post was made before calls for service, and that emergency crews arrived within 15 minutes to find that the dog had succumbed to heat stroke. However, numerous commenters claimed that the calls were made first and went unanswered, and someone posted a video of the dog in order to get attention.

The original poster sent ABC7 screenshots of five different calls made to the Pleasanton Police Department that went unanswered, and witnesses told the outlet that they didn’t see crews until 1 p.m., not 12:15 p.m. like PPD claimed. Pulsepoint data also showed an LPFD dispatch call at 12:54 p.m.

Patch reached out to PPD and LPFD for further clarification, but has not heard back.

PPD said in its Thursday statement that the public should “provide as much detail as possible so calls can be prioritized for the appropriate response” when calling 911. It also reminded the public that fatal heat stroke can occur within an hour of direct exposure to sunlight.