Southwest Miami-Dade man accused of leaving dog in hot car
MIAMI - A man is facing an animal cruelty charge after he reportedly left a small dog in a car during recent extreme temperatures.
On August 8th, Seminole police were flagged down by a pedestrian around 8: 35 a.m. to check on a dog in distress in the parking lot of the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood.
Officers found the small black dog in a car with the engine turned off and the windows only slightly lowered.
Seminole Police dispatch recorded that the temperature was 86 degrees and the "feels like" temperature was 111 degrees. They noted that there was an extreme heat advisory for the area.
When the officers got the dog out of the car, it was panting heavily and warm to the touch. They put it in a patrol cruiser with the air conditioner on and gave it some water.
Police reviewed surveillance video and found the car was driven onto the lot at around 7:30 a.m. and two men got out. They were then informed by Seminole security that the two men were heading back to the car.
One of the men, 55-year-old Ulises Gutierrez told police that the dog was his.
He was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. He was also charged with trespassing since he was banned from the property. During arraignment, his bond was set at $15,000.
The dog was turned over to Broward Animal Control.