Costco Doesn't Give Refunds for Dead Dogs?

Cathryn Washington’s dog, Delta, died after being left to cook in her car for over an hour while her owner shopped at Costco.

Sadly, plenty of dogs die from heat stroke and exhaustion after being left in their owners’ cars to roast while their people take care of business. It is, in fact, the most avoidable cause of death in dogs. So this scenario isn’t all that new, or all that unusual.

Until you find out what Washington did afterward. What makes her so special is that after she returned from her shopping trip and discovered that Delta had roasted to death in her car, she turned right back around to return the pet supplies she bought for her, and asked the Costco employee for a refund.

Legitimately disturbed, the employee rushed out of the store and searched for the dog. He found it, already dead, and returned to the store to call 911. But Washington had left the scene.

Costco staff waited for the police and gave them a description of Washington and her car. But the police didn’t have to look very hard — Delta’s owner turned up at Animal Control with a dead dog she wanted to dump.

Washington’s excuse? She had to leave Delta in the car — she had to get her shopping done, and there was nowhere else she could leave her 14-year-old dog.

But Washington wasn’t homeless. In fact, she was a former nursing professor, and at 67 and recently divorced, she had fought for custody of Delta. And what do you know — she had her for a whole eleven days before the elderly dog died in her care.

The temperature in the car rocketed to 130 degrees that day, effectively roasting Delta alive. And Washington’s punishment? A summons has been issued charging the Fairmont, West Virginia resident with two charges — one for failing to provide adequate food, water, and shelter and one for inflicting unnecessary suffering and pain on the dog she fought so hard to keep. Both charges are misdemeanors, punishable by 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

It’s not enough.

Photo credit: emdot