Dog died inside a parked car

WATERTOWN, Mass. — Two Waltham residents will be charged with animal cruelty after their dog died of massive heat trauma from being left inside a parked car outside the Watertown Mall. They told police they had left the 3-year-old French bulldog in the car for half an hour.

MULBERRY, Fla. -- The Mulberry Police Department will revamp its police-dog policies after one of its animals died Monday in an overheated vehicle, the police chief said. Sam Diesel, a 2 1/2-year-old male German shepherd, was found dead by his handler about 3:50 p.m. Monday. Unknown to the officer, the air conditioning had failed while she left the dog in the parked car for more than three hours with the engine running.

SAN DIEGO – A San Diego police dog found dead in his handler's patrol car last month died of heat stroke, officials with the county Department of Animal Services said Tuesday. A month-long investigation found that the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois named Forrest had been left in the parked vehicle with the windows closed on a day where temperatures reached 108 degrees.

I guess it can't be said often enough: No matter how briefly you intend it to be for, no matter what precautions you take, don't leave your dog alone in a parked car this summer.