COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah – Police issued citations to a man who allegedly left two dogs inside a hot car while he was grocery shopping Tuesday.
Police officials said they received a call from a concerned citizen regarding pets locked in a hot car. The dogs were in the car for about 20 minutes and the temperature inside the vehicle was estimated to be between 132 and 137 degrees.
Lt. Mark Askerlund, Cottonwood Heights Police Department, said people should be aware of animals’ needs.
“They need access to water, they need access to air to be able to breathe,” he said. “They need to stay cool just like people do, and in this particular case those dogs were left in that car far too long and were in visible distress when the officers arrived.”
Askerlund said they get several calls like this each summer, and he said such incidents are usually reported in parking lots of businesses. He said people should be cautious and aware of what they’ve left in the car.
Police said the man who owns the dogs was somewhat uncooperative when police encountered him. The man faces two counts of animal cruelty as well as licensing violations.
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