Senior Dog Left in Hot Car in New Bedford Sunday

NEW BEDFORD - New Bedford Animal Control is investigating after a dog was left in a hot car over the weekend.

Police were called to the Savers parking lot at 1014 Kings Highway on Sunday at 3:29 p.m. for a report of a dog in a car that had no apparent means of ventilation.

As police were arriving on scene, the dog's owner was just arriving at the car. He told police he had taken a little longer inside the store than he had anticipated.

The dog, a 12-year-old Portuguese Podengo, was panting heavily but did not appear to be hurt. She was given water.

No charges have been filed.

The high temperature in New Bedford was 82 degrees on Sunday.

A recently passed law in Massachusetts protects individuals from liabilities if they choose to break the window of a car with an animal inside on a hot day.

UPDATE:

New Bedford Police are now seeking to charge the owner of the dog with animal cruelty. Police say they are pursuing animal cruelty charges in Third District Court against Christopher Biddle, 53, of Dartmouth.