Man arrested after his dog, left in hot car for hours, dies
A 56-year-old man was arrested this week on suspicion of animal cruelty after his 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever apparently died of heat exhaustion inside the man’s BMW, Los Angeles police said Thursday.
Bennett Ira Goldberg of Simi Valley apparently left the dog unattended in the car in the 6800 block of Owensmouth Avenue in Canoga Park for at least four hours Tuesday afternoon while temperatures continued to rise inside the vehicle, police said.
A neighbor heard the dog barking inside the car and called police about 1 p.m. By the time officers arrived, the dog had died, officials said.
Los Angeles Animal Services officials reported that nearby residents broke into the car to give the dog water, but the animal already had gone into convulsions. Temperatures inside a car can top 120 degrees, even with the windows slightly open, officials said.
Goldberg was arrested about an hour after the dog was found dead, and has been charged with felony animal cruelty, officials said. He was released on $20,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Van Nuys Superior Court. If convicted, Goldberg could face up to three years in state prison, authorities said.
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