Video: Cop Rescues Dog From SUV In Sweltering Heat

TUKWILA, WA - Tukwila police described the situation best: "Absolutely unacceptable." As temperatures soared toward 90 degrees on Sunday afternoon, an officer had to smash the window of an SUV to rescue a small dog trapped inside.

The animal was in "visible distress," the department reported, and the temperature at the time of the rescue was 88 degrees. Even with temperatures as low as 70 degrees, closed cars become dangerously hot in minutes. According to the website Heatkills, the temperature in a car can rise nearly 30 degrees in just 20 minutes.

The small dog, which appeared to be a Chihuahua, was given water and sheltered in the officer's air-conditioned car. According to Washington state law, police or animal control officers cannot be held liable for damage done to property while trying to rescue an animal. If you leave your pet in a car on a hot day - even with the windows cracked - you could be fined or arrested for animal cruelty.

When a major heat wave hit the state at the end of July, Suqamish police issued a strong warning to anyone who would dare leave a child or pet in a car on a hot day.

"We will not dilly-dally waiting for you to return, nor will we waste time trying to open the doors using our unlock equipment. If the child is sweating or the dog is panting, we're breaking your window instantly, rescuing the innocent, and charging you with the maximum offenses allowed by law. We will not let a child or pet die in front of us," the department wrote on Facebook.

Image via Tukwila police