This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office has been asked to screen possible felony animal cruelty charges against a man whose dog died after being left in a hot car over the weekend.
Salt Lake County Animal Services spokeswoman Callista Pearson said one of the department's officers found the dog unconscious and unresponsive inside a car parked near 1100 E. 2100 South, in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City, around 2 p.m. Saturday.
Salt Lake City's official high temperature reached 91 degrees on Saturday, and inside a parked car — even with the window opened slightly — interior heat can rapidly rise, quickly overwhelming animals left inside.
The dog, a 15-month-old yellow Labrador retriever, is believed to have been left in the vehicle at least four hours — enough time for the interior temperature to climb well past 120 degrees.
After the animal control officer removed the dog, it was rushed to the Utah Veterinary Clinic. The animal was pronounced dead a short time later.
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