A man apparently parked the vehicle at a business at 261 E. Broadway Street (300 South) about 11 a.m. planning to run in and visit his father, said Salt Lake County Animal Services spokeswoman Temma Martin. He then decided to go to lunch and forgot about his dog, a Labrador retriever mix, Martin said. The man was cited for animal cruelty.

Every day, Salt Lake County Animal Services gets about three to six heat-related calls of animal cruelty or animals in distress, Martin said. And each year, a few dogs die from heat exposure.

"During the summer, an animal should not be left in a car," Martin said, even if there is shade and the windows are down.

On Tuesday, the lab mix had neither. About 2 1/2 hours after the man parked the vehicle, police received a call that the dog was inside the vehicle. A police officer said the canine was thrashing around, which meant the dog was probably having a seizure, Martin said. When an animal control officer arrived after 1:45 p.m., the dog was already dead.

"If your intention is to park your car and leave them for a few minutes, it's too dangerous," Martin said.

And it's not just dogs left in cars. Animals can die outdoors if they don't have enough shade or water to drink, Martin said. She urged people who come across an animal in a vehicle to call a law enforcement agency right away. The animal needs veterinary care and its body temperature reduced immediately.

- Justin Hill