LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A man was arrested Wednesday after police said he left his small dog inside a hot car outside the Lauderhill Mall while a heat advisory was in effect.
According to an arrest report, Lauderhill police officers responded to a call at the Lauderhill Mall, located at 1299 N. State Rd. 7, where an anonymous tipster reported a dog being “left inside a non-running car for an extended period of time.”
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Upon arrival, police said they observed a small dog “panting excessively”ninside a 2008 Hyundai Azera.
Authorities said the car’s front windows were slightly cracked, and police were able to unlock the door through the window to free the dog.
The car’s owner, Jonathan Colt Parker, 35, of Coconut Creek, returned to the car around 2:15 p.m. and admitted to leaving the dog inside for approximately an hour while he shopped, according to investigators,
However, police said after viewing surveillance video at the mall, they confirmed that Parker left the car at 12:45 p.m.
Detectives said the incident occurred while a heat advisory from the National Weather Service was in effect for Broward County, with temperatures reaching a heat index of 105 to 110 degrees.
Authorities said that in 90-degree weather, the internal temperature of a parked car can reach 130 degrees within 45 minutes.
Police said the dog, whose breed was not mentioned in the arrest report, was safely removed from the car and is expected to recover.
Parker was taken into custody by Lauderhill police and faces one count of conservation of an animal causing cruel, pain and suffering or death, according to his arrest report.
Jail records show he is being held at the Broward Main Jail on a $5,000 bond as of Thursday afternoon.