A heat wave Monday in Southern California had Boomer the dog yelping for relief.
A passerby heard Boomer’s yelps and discovered him inside a vehicle with an interior temperature of 131 degrees, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies wrote on Facebook. It was 99 degrees outside.
The person rescued Boomer from the vehicle in San Jacinto and called 911, the post says. Deputies cooled Boomer off inside an air-conditioned patrol vehicle.
The post did not describe Boomer’s rescue, but a California law allows people to break windows if necessary to free pets locked inside hot vehicles if there’s no other way to rescue them.
Deputies arrested Boomer’s owner on suspicion of animal cruelty, the Facebook post says. Boomer was turned over to the Ramona Humane Society.
“Animals cannot explain their needs, so it is up to people to ensure that their needs are met, especially during periods of extreme or prolonged heat,” the Facebook post reads.
Deputies said temperatures inside closed vehicles can reach 120 degrees or more within minutes, warning drivers never to leave pets or children unattended in a parked vehicle.
“A body temperature of just 107°F may cause brain damage or death from heatstroke,” the Facebook post reads.
Don Sweeney has been a newspaper reporter and editor in California for more than 25 years. He has been a real-time reporter based at The Sacramento Bee since 2016.