INDIANA -- A Valparaiso couple may face charges after they left their dog in their sport utility vehicle for at least two hours Monday in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, police said.
A worker at the store, 2400 E. Morthland Drive, noticed the dog about 2:30 p.m., and the store called for the dog’s owners several times over its public address system, but they did not return to the car and police were contacted at 3:45 p.m., according to police. They said the owners had left all four windows down about 3 inches.
When the dog’s owners had not shown up by 4:30 p.m., an animal control officer determined that the dog appeared dehydrated and in distress and used a pole through a window to unlock the SUV, taking the dog to the Porter County Animal Shelter, police said.
In response to a note left on the SUV, the couple, both 76, arrived at the police station about 6 p.m., and apologized for placing the dog in danger, according to police.
They said the incident remains under investigation, but the couple were allowed to retrieve the dog.
(Post-Tribune - July 8, 2014)
