Dog owners cited for leaving pets in hot car

RICHLAND, Wash.-- Richland Police officers came to the rescue of a pair of dogs that were left in a hot car Thursday afternoon.

According to a facebook posting, dispatchers received several calls about the dogs that had been left in a parked car for at least twenty minutes.

While the sun roof of the car had been left open, it was 108 degrees outside when officers arrived, and the dogs appeared to be in distress.

Officers provided the dogs with water, and set out to find the owners, who were located in a nearby business.

The owners were cited for leaving the animals in a hot vehicle.

Local animal advocates say even on days where temperatures aren't soaring into the triple-digits, dogs shouldn't be left in cars.

“It’s just smart to leave dogs at home. We want to get them out and have them run errands with us, but this is not a good time of the year to do that,” said Deb Sporcich with Tri-Cities Animal Control. “Even if you’re in the shade, even if you have the windows rolled down, your dog is still at risk because it gets hot in there.”

If you see an animal that appears to be in distress from being left alone in a hot car, call Animal Control or non-emergency dispatch at 509-628-0333.