DARTMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - A Massachusetts man is facing animal cruelty charges after police say he left a puppy alone in a freezing car for nearly an hour on Saturday night.
Police say officers responded around 5:30 p.m. to the North Dartmouth Mall parking lot for a report of a puppy that was left unattended inside a vehicle.
Upon arrival, officers were told that the puppy had been alone for about 20 minutes. Police say further investigation determined that the puppy had been alone for about an hour.
The puppy was “shivering and rolled up in a ball” on a seat in the car without the heat on, according to officer Justin Amaral.
Temperatures over the weekend were in the teens and single digits as brutal wind chills gripped the area.
Dartmouth Animal Control seized the puppy. It was taken to an area veterinary hospital for evaluation.
“It was probably three or four months old,” animal control officer Sandra Gosselin said. “It was a very thin coated dog.”
Gosselin said cars are like freezer boxes and that bringing a dog out in frigid conditions is not smart.
The puppy’s owner, a native of Dighton, has been charged with cruelty to animals. His name will not be released until arraignment.
“We always encourage people to call when they see an animal in distress. An animal can’t advocate for itself, so we encourage people to do so. We take any animal cruelty situation seriously,” Dartmouth Det. Kyle Costa said.
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