DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG TO DIE IN A HOT CAR!
It only takes minutes for a parked car to become a death trap for an animal, even with the windows cracked.
85°F outside? It can exceed 100°F inside a car in under 10 minutes. Dogs can suffer heatstroke, brain damage, or death during that time.
It’s not only dangerous and inhumane — it’s illegal.
On Saturday, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to Scenic Gulf Drive after multiple reports of a small dog in a hot car for about an hour. The car wasn’t running, and the windows were only slightly cracked.The vehicle was opened by deputies using a lock-out kit, and the Yorkie was pulled out and given water.
Deputies called the number on the dog’s collar, and a short time later, Andy Matute Villatoro, 26, of Houston, Texas, showed up and was placed under arrest for animal cruelty. He was at the beach.
Walton County Animal Services, Florida, arrived and tested temperature the inside the vehicle; readings came back at 120°.Villatoro was given a $1,000 bond and is still incarcerated at the time of this release.
If you see a dog left in a hot car:
Call 911 immediately.
Provide location and vehicle details.
Wait for the cavalry.