South L.A. dog dead after left without water or shade in high temps

(FOX 11) - A small dog is dead after his South L.A. owners tethered him to an outdoor pole on South San Pedro Blvd., leaving him without water and shade.

FOX 11 was the first station to speak one of Chocolate's owner, Emigdio Martin.
The 18-year-old said the family tethers him to the pole because Chocolate, or "Choco" as they call him, often runs out of the gate when the family reverses their cars.
He said they've had Choco for a few years and he was his uncle's dog.

The family's other three dogs appeared ok, seen running around drinking water and with lots of access to shade.

Martin said he had no idea how hot it would get today. They do have water buckets around the yard but none were close to Choco.

Someone called 9-1-1 around one o'clock today reporting they had concerns about the puppy.

This dog was tied around a pole, reportedly with no shade or water.

When police got to the scene, they found the dog dead.

The forecast was in the 90's during that time in South LA.

LAPD's animal cruelty task force is looking into the case.

LAPD says the potential fine for tethering a dog without food and water is a thousand dollars or 6 months in jail.

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