A pet owner is facing charges after a puppy was rescued by police after being locked in a hot car in the City of Vaughan.

York Regional Police responded to the Vaughan Mills Mall parking lot after receiving a call from a concerned citizen regarding a dog in distress locked in a hot car. When officers arrived, they found a white Audi sedan with the doors locked and a small dog inside. Police confirmed that the dog was lethargic, panting heavily and had no water.

The officer was able to open the car door using a baton through a small opening in the vehicle’s sunroof.

The dog was placed in the back of an air-conditioned police cruiser and was given water.

The owner of the dog eventually returned to the vehicle. Officers reviewed the mall security footage and determined that the dog had been left in the vehicle for nearly three hours, in 29 C weather.

The owner of the dog, a 20-year-old woman from the City of Toronto, was charged with Cause Animal to be in Distress under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act.

York Regional Police is reminding pet owners to never leave your pets unattended in a vehicle. The interior of a vehicle can heat up quickly, reaching temperatures far exceeding the outside air. Pets can become overheated and dehydrated, resulting in serious injury or death. If you see a pet in a hot car that appears to be in distress, call 9-1-1