ORLANDO, Fla. — A woman who deputies say is responsible for the deaths of two of her three dogs after they were left in a sweltering vehicle has been charged with felony animal cruelty.
- Affidavit: Guests, worker called 911 after finding 3 puppies inside SUV
- Windows were cracked, but dogs looked to be in distress, report said
- 1 dog already dead in SUV, another died hours later, deputies said
- CALCULATE: ▼ How hot can your vehicle get? ▼
Penelope Stanley, 54, of Pontotoc, Mississippi was booked into the Orange County Jail on Tuesday afternoon.
According to an arrest affidavit, deputies responded to the Quality Suites on Turkey Lake Road at about 9 a.m. after several guests and a worker called 911 when they saw the unattended puppies in a Dodge Durango in the parking lot. The windows were cracked, but the dogs appeared to be in distress.
When the group managed to get inside the SUV, two of the dogs were very weak, and a third was dead inside a carrier.
Deputies quickly identified the owner of the SUV as Stanley, the affidavit said.
Firefighters who responded said the temperature inside the vehicle was 120 degrees by 10 a.m.
A 6-month-old Chihuahua named Minnie died. A 3-month-old Shepherd mix named Kiara died hours later. The condition of a 6-month-old terrier mix named Gruff was unknown but deputies were hoping for its recovery.
Stanley is due in court for an initial appearance before a judge at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Deputies want to remind people that it's illegal in Florida to leave a dog or child in a vehicle. If a child or dog unattended in a vehicle appears to be in distress, it's lawful for a person to break one of the windows to get them out.