POMONA — A small terrier rescued from a hot car on the opening day of the L.A. County Fair last week during triple-digit temperatures serves as a reminder to never leave pets or children unattended in vehicles, Pomona police officials said Wednesday.
Bicycle officers Dan Gomez and Thomas DeLaVega were on patrol in the parking lot of the Fairplex in Pomona, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., when they spotted a small dog locked inside a hot car, Pomona police Capt. Michael Olivieri said in a written statement.
“Detective Jerry Uribe assisted and was able to make forced entry into the vehicle and rescue the dog, who showed clear signs of stress,” the captain said. “The officers placed the dog in a police unit with air conditioning and provided it with what seemed like an endless supply of cold water.”
Inland Valley Humane Society and SPCA officials responded, he said.
It was unclear how long the dog had been inside the car.
When animal control officers arrived and took the temperature inside the car, after police had already forced it open and freed the dog, the interior of the vehicle was still at about 95 degrees, IVHS Supervisor of Animal Services Beth Les said.
The terrier, named Sandy and estimated to be 6 years old, was seized and taken to a veterinarian for an examination, Les said. It was determined Sandy had suffered no serious injuries.
The owners of the dog were ultimately identified and ticketed, Olivieri said. They retrieved their pet the following day after paying for the medical expenses.
And stories like Sandy’s are all-too-common, Les said, as IVHS officers handle several calls of animals locked in hot cars daily.
“We’re averaging about five a day,” Les said.
The IVHS provides animal control services to Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Diamond Bar, Glendora, La Verne, Montlair, Mt. Baldy, Ontario, Pomona, San Antonio Heights, San Bernardino and San Dimas.
With triple-digit temperatures expected to continue in Southern California in the days ahead, Olivieri reminded residents that leaving a pet or child unattended inside a hot car, even for a brief period, is both dangerous and illegal.
Anyone who sees a child or animal locked in a hot car was asked to report it by calling 9-1-1 immediately.

PHOTO courtesy of the Pomona Police Department