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Distressed dog rescued from sweltering truck as owners relaxed on beach

Distressed dog rescued from sweltering truck as owners relaxed on beach

When will people learn never to leave their dogs in a hot car?

A dog has been rescued from a truck in Florida after owners had left it in their vehicle while they enjoyed a beach day.

Police in the area have released body cam footage after a passerby alerted the authorities over concerns for the pup's wellbeing.

The dog had been left in the truck with the passenger side window slightly open, but in the sweltering heat, the animal was clearly suffering.

In the video, officers can be seen with a plastic water bottle, pouring water into the dog's mouth through the crack in the window.

The person who reported the incident said the dog had been in the car for at least an hour before they called the cops.

"This dog was left locked inside a U-Haul truck yesterday while the owners went to the beach," a post from the New Smyrna Beach Police Department read.

"The windows were cracked only slightly, and no water was left inside for the dog. The reporting party told officers that the dog had been in the car for nearly an hour.

The dog could be seen stuck in the car (Facebook/New Smyrna Beach Police Department)
The dog could be seen stuck in the car (Facebook/New Smyrna Beach Police Department)

"The temperature outside at the time was 86 degrees with no cloud cover, meaning the temperature inside the vehicle was likely 100 degrees or more.

"The dog was safely removed from the vehicle and transported to the Southeast Volusia Humane Society. Charging affidavits were sent to the State Attorney's Office for both owners of the dog."

"Never leave an animal or a child alone inside a vehicle, even for a short period. It could be deadly. Thank you to the vigilant person who noticed the dog in the car and reported it so we could help." the post concluded.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, it doesn't have to be warm outside for a car to become super hot.

They explain that when it's 72°F outside, the temperature inside your car can heat up to 116°F within just 60 minutes.

And the risk becomes even more severe as the temperature increases.

The officers gave the dog water through the window (Facebook/New Smyrna Beach Police Department)
The officers gave the dog water through the window (Facebook/New Smyrna Beach Police Department)

"When it's 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the temperature inside your car can heat up to 99 degrees Fahrenheit within 10 minutes," they explained.

"Rolling down the windows has been shown to have little effect on the temperature inside a car."

They add: "Learn your town's and state's laws about leaving pets in hot cars. An increasing amount of states prohibit leaving pets in hot cars, and some grant immunity to good Samaritans who must rescue pets in visible distress.

"Be ready to call for help: Gather essential telephone numbers and have them on hand.

"You’ll want to have your local animal control agency's number and the police department's non-emergency number so you can quickly report the situation. Keep these numbers in your purse, your car's glove compartment or programmed into your phone."

You can find out more on what to do here.

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/New Smyrna Beach Police Department

Topics: US News, Animals