Authorities have accused a woman from west-central Florida of leaving her dog inside a hot car while she attended a community meeting at City Hall.
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Melissa Major, a 24-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, was taken into custody on Monday, as per the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s online booking records. According to Pinellas County online court records, she has been accused of committing one count of animal cruelty and has been charged accordingly.
According to WTVT, the St. Petersburg police reported that Major is suspected of leaving the animal trapped in a vehicle for around 90 minutes. The officers stated that Major was attending a meeting of the Urban Forestry Council when a bystander spotted the dog locked in the car and alerted the authorities.
WTVT reported that the St. Petersburg Police Department stated Major was taking care of the dog while the owner was away on vacation.
According to police, a dog that was left behind in a U-Haul was rescued after a couple went to the beach in Florida.
Police reported that the vehicle was not operational, and the windows were slightly opened about half an inch, as indicated by the television station. Although the temperature was 89 degrees, the heat index was nearer to 95 degrees when the dog was discovered, according to authorities.
Upon the arrival of officers, the dog was observed panting heavily. Subsequently, one of the officers took the distressed animal to a nearby animal hospital, as reported by WTVT.
According to the television station, Major allegedly confessed to leaving the dog in the car, as per police reports. She was taken into custody on Monday at approximately 7:46 p.m. EDT and was able to post bail and secure her release eight hours later, according to online records.
