SAN JACINTO, Calif. — A small dog was rescued Monday from inside a car in California that was a scorching 131 degrees.
A good Samaritan was passing by when he heard the yelps of a small dog, Boomer, coming from a parked car, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.
Since the temperature outside at the time was 99 degrees, the person, concerned about Boomer's well-being, went over to check on the pup, investigators said.
Boomer was in distress and not moving. The person rescued him from the vehicle and attempted life-saving measures. It was unclear how the man gained access to the vehicle.
Deputies arrived and put Boomer in an air-conditioned vehicle.
The dog's owner was located and arrested on charges of suspicion of animal cruelty, officials said.
“Temperatures inside a closed vehicle can reach more than 120 degrees within minutes, even with the windows partly opened on a cloudy day,” the sheriff’s office said on social media. “Exposure to such high temperatures can quickly kill a person or pet. A body temperature of just 107 degrees may cause brain damage or death from heatstroke.”
Boomer is available for adoption at the Ramona Humane Society.