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Las Vegas police video shows 2 dogs rescued from 110-degree van

Updated July 5, 2024 - 7:20 am

The Metropolitan Police Department has released body camera footage of an incident in which an officer broke a vehicle’s window in order to rescue two dogs who were left inside a hot van.

According to Las Vegas police, in late May, Officer Jennifer Williams responded to an animal call at an apartment complex near Lake Mead and Hollywood boulevards.

Upon arrival, Officer Williams found two small dogs tethered and struggling inside a hot minivan.

At the time of the rescue, police say it was nearly 100 degrees outside and the interior temperature of the van was 110 degrees.

“The dogs were in dire need of cooler conditions,” police said in a post on Instagram where they shared the body camera footage from the incident.

According to police, the owner of the dogs had left them in the scorching vehicle with pee pads. Authorities noted that it was later learned that “the intent was to leave the two dogs for a long time.”

“As you can see, Officer Williams tried to locate the owner and then broke the window to rescue the dogs,” the department said in the post.

The animals were treated and taken to a shelter, police said, adding that the incident is an ongoing investigation.

“It goes without saying leaving pets in a car—even for a couple of minutes—is a crime.”

Further information on the owner of the dogs was not provided.

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