Two small dogs are recovering at a local animal shelter after being trapped in a dangerously hot car at the Southland Shopping Center Friday late afternoon.
The Humane Society says dogs can suffer irreversible damage being left in a car when temperatures are only in the 80's. On Friday, temps were much higher, prompting complete strangers to take extreme measures to get the animals out of the heat, and it was all caught on camera in a video that has gone viral.
At first glance, it looks like a break in, but this isn't your typical smash and grab. This is a rescue mission for two puppies left in the Southland Shopping Center parking lot in dangerous conditions.
"Those dogs were locked into that car, hot, looking in bad shape, panting and shaking," says Andrew Muszall.
"(The) heat index yesterday was over 100 and just to see their faces broke my heart," says Briggette Manners.
Manners and Muszall were picking up a friend from work yesterday late afternoon when they noticed mall security gathered around a car.
"I walked up to the window and seen two puppies in the car. One white, one black. One was laying under the seat just panting real hard," says Manners.
She says security tried to contact the vehicle's owner, but after about an hour, security staff didn't know what to do.
"Somebody had to get them out, I just couldn't take it no more," says Muszall. He took a knife and started hitting the car window, hoping to break the dogs out.
"I tried. I mean I broke the knife, and then the guy came with the golf club and he pulled the whole window out."
Manners recorded the entire thing on her cell phone, posted it to Facebook and it's now gone viral.
"I just hope people learn their lesson and never do it again," she says.
The Taylor Police Chief says the dogs former owner will be charged with animal cruelty and the dogs are ok after being treated at a local veterinary hospital. They are being placed with a new family.
"Made me feel good about myself, I did something right, you know," says Muszall smiling.
Taylor Police say the former owner of the dogs was arrested and then bailed out of jail. She'll likely be facing misdemeanor charges. If the dogs had died inside that hot car yesterday, she could be facing felony charges.
