Man Arrested after Dog Left in Hot Car Dies

According to a recent Los Angeles Police Department press release, a San Fernando Valley man was arrested for leaving his dog in a parked car, killing the dog.

The incident happened at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Concerned people witnessed a medium-sized Labrador Retriever left in a parked vehicle with its windows closed on the 6800 block of Owensmouth Ave in San Fernando Valley. Witnesses saw that the dog was in distress due to extreme heat exhaustion. One Good Samaritan called 911, while another was able to get the friendly dog out of the car through an unlocked window near the back of the rear door of the care. However, the dog was not lucky enough, despite the efforts of the witnesses. The animal died shortly after being rescued. Before the dog passed, it went into convulsions while witnesses laid the dog down on the sidewalk.

Los Angeles Police Department officers from the West Valley Division responded to the scene too late but still were able to conduct an investigation. The police officers were also able to locate the owner of the murdered dog. The man, a 55-year-old Bennett Goldberg, was arrested for 597 (b) of the California Penal code, aka Animal Neglect.

The City of Los Angeles' Animal Cruelty Task Force is the department in charge of investigating the crime and pursuing felony charges of Animal Neglect against Goldberg. If convicted, he could spend up to three years in prison. He is currently being held in a local jail on $20,000 set bail.

The Animal Cruelty Task Force is advising pet owners to watch out for their pets during extremely hot days. Temperatures in a car can reach over 120 degrees, even with the windows left slightly open. Pets and people should never be left in cars.

Chicago resident and animal shelter volunteer Maelynn Oreese said, "It's very easy to leave pets in the cars. If you're just running into a store or wherever, you may be in a hurry and your pet may be the last thing on your mind. To avoid this, just leave your pooch or any animal at home. They prefer it in the air-conditioning and it will make them much more comfortable than driving around in a car."

Reports of animal cruelty, including pets left in cars, should be reported to the Animal Cruelty Task Force at 213-847-1417. During the weekends and non-office hours, anyone can call the 24-hour toll free hot line at 1-877-LAWFULL.