Lady Lake Police Arrest Woman for Leaving Puppy in Hot Car

Lady Lake Police arrested Yeneese Morejon, 26, on animal cruelty charges after officers broke into her locked car to rescue a puppy on May 16.

Officers Jeffrey Burns and Michael Tisdell responded to a 5 Below parking lot on U.S. Highway 27/441 around 2:25 p.m. after a caller reported a dog trapped inside a vehicle with barely cracked windows. Outside temperatures exceeded 92 degrees.

The officers found a black puppy panting heavily with her tongue hanging out and scratching at the windows. The engine was off. Burns and Tisdell broke the door lock, removed the puppy, gave her water and placed her in an air-conditioned patrol vehicle. The puppy drank an entire bottle of water and recovered.

Morejon told officers she had been inside the store for 30 seconds. Officers determined the dog had been locked in the car for at least 40 minutes.

"Our officers acted quickly and compassionately to save this puppy from a potentially deadly situation," Chief Steve Hunt said. "We are grateful for the citizen who called 911."

Vehicle interiors can exceed 110 degrees within minutes in low 90s heat. Florida law allows officers to use reasonable force to remove animals from vehicles when their health or safety faces immediate danger. Anyone witnessing an animal in distress in a vehicle should call 911.