It’s only the first week of spring and County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control Officers have logged their first call for a pet locked in a hot car. It occurred just this Saturday, on the 600 block of Ashcomb Drive in La Puente.

The mid-day call revealed a young female Chihuahua mix struggling as she paced and panted inside the SUV, windows rolled up and parked in the sun. Although the clear day showed 75 degrees for the temperature at about 11am, officer estimated it was closer to 100 degrees inside the vehicle when the pup was rescued.

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“It can easily and very quickly turn dangerous for a pet locked inside a vehicle,” said Marcia Mayeda, Director for the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control. “The ambient temperature may read a comfortable 80 degrees, but inside a sealed vehicle parked in the sun, the temperature can reach 15 to 25 degrees hotter in just minutes,” Mayeda said

County animal control officers rescued the dog, now named Mimi, and immediately transported the dog to an emergency clinic. “Mimi was dehydrated and scared but she is now doing well at our Baldwin Park Animal Care Center” stated Mayeda. The owner has not come forward but may face criminal charges after the investigation is complete.

On another note, heavy rain is in the forecast and animal control officials are reminding the public to provide shelter for their outdoor pets and cautioning against chaining up their dogs; a violation of state law. “The weather changes so rapidly in Southern California and so must our level of care and attention we give our pets,” cautioned Mayeda.

The public is asked to report animal cruelty, abuse and neglect to their local animal care and control agency right away.