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Police officers in Sarasota, Florida responding to reports of a dog locked inside a parked car discovered a pit bull showing signs of severe distress. Bodycam video revealed the officers’ quick and easy decision to smash the window and rescue the pup.
Sarasota Police Sergeant Louis Buck was the first to arrive on scene after two residents found a dog locked inside a car with no owner in sight.
“Tried all the doors. The doors were definitely locked. I felt the window. The window was extremely hot, so I ran the tag on the vehicle to identify who the owner was, and, unfortunately, it did not come back to anybody. It was a rental car,” Sgt. Buck explained to WCTV. Buck watched as the dog moved around the car, panting heavily, drooling, and trying to find shade.
“That’s when Officer Grochowski arrived on scene along with Animal Services,” said Sgt. Buck. “The dog did not look good. Animal Services also identified that the dog didn’t look good, made the decision that we need to try to get that dog out as quickly as possible.”
Temperatures inside the car registered at 115°, long after the window had been smashed, the door opened, with air flowing into the car.
Sarasota Police Department posted the video to Facebook, along with an important reminder for pet parents. “PLEASE DON’T LEAVE PETS IN HOT CARS! This week we responded to University Parkway for a dog locked inside a car that was turned off. We broke out a back window to rescue the playful pooch. Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services told us it was 115° inside the car! The owner said he left the car running. He was issued two citations by Animal Services. Always remember to look before you lock for pets, children and elderly loved ones.”
Police applauded the good Samaritans that noticed the distressed dog and made the call, too. ““If you see something where a dog, or God forbid a child, is left inside a vehicle it, it’s extremely important to call as soon as possible, we can get there and try and help out and determine what needs to be done in the best interest of that animal, that was very important on them to call as quickly as they did.”
