Somerset County Woman Left Dog In Hot Car To Go Shopping: Police

PEAPACK, NJ — A Somerset County woman was charged with animal cruelty after police say she left her dog in a hot car to go shopping.

On July 15, Chester Police were called to the parking lot of Home Goods for a distressed dog inside a vehicle on a hot afternoon, said Chester Police.

Temperatures reached a high of 91 degrees on July 15, according to Accuweather.

Police found the dog in the car and tried to contact the owner multiple times with no luck.

"Out of concern for the dog's well-being, the animal was subsequently removed from the hot vehicle, which was observed by Officers to be unlocked with the keys inside," said police.

Police say the woman, who came back to her car about an hour after police arrived, told them she'd been shopping nearby while her dog remained in the car.

She was issued a summons for animal cruelty and released pending a mandatory court appearance, without issue. Her identity was not released by police.

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