“I’m going to get you out.” This week, under the scorching Florida sun, officers from the Bradenton Police Department responded to distressing reports of a dog locked inside a parked car, abandoned by its owner.
Details were unclear about how long the dog had been trapped, but with temperatures soaring to 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the interior of the vehicle was a potentially lethal heat trap.
“The car sat idle, windows barely cracked open,” the police department recounted. “The dog looked visibly distressed, and there was no sign of the owner.”
Inside, the temperature had surged well above the sweltering external heat, indicating the dog had endured considerable discomfort over time.
Thankfully, rescue arrived just in time.
“The poor pup guzzled a full liter of water upon rescue,” the department noted.
Authorities managed to trace the dog’s owner, initiating an investigation while the dog received care under animal control.
In Florida, leaving pets in parked cars constitutes animal cruelty, a serious offense under state law.
Sadly, hundreds of animals suffer fatal consequences annually due to being left in overheated vehicles. In response, several states have enacted Good Samaritan laws empowering individuals to intervene and rescue animals under such perilous circumstances, with legal protections against liabilities arising from property damage during rescue attempts.