Two chihuahuas trapped inside a red Mustang in San Diego's East Village during scorching midday temperatures were freed when the owner returned, right as officers used a device to break open the car.
San Diego Police officers first got the call around 12:12 p.m. Thursday for the trapped dogs, located on Island between 14th and 15th Street.
The reporting party initially thought the dogs were dead, but San Diego Police said the dogs are alive.
A crowd of people waited on scene for animal control officers to arrive.
Witness Corey Carlson said he and his neighbor, who were walking their own dogs, noticed the chihuahuas inside the Mustang and called police.
Carlson said police officers showed up 40 minutes later, but said they couldn't do anything because the dogs didn't appear to be in distress.
"So they had to be on the verge of death" before doing anything," Carlson said.
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He said he then planned to use a hammer to smash the car window, believing he had the legal right to do so because of a recently enacted California law.
A 911 dispatcher, however, told him that the law, which allows a bystander to break a car window to free animals in distress, doesn't take effect until January.
Soon after, officers responded again and this time used a tool to open the car. At the same time, the woman who owned the car showed up with another dog.
Those who had been waiting for her other two dogs to be freed could be seen criticizing her as she arrived.
She could be heard on video saying: "I had no idea they were in there."
The two dogs were impounded. They did not appear to suffer any heat related injuries
Animal Control officers spoke with the owner of the dogs. She was cited $50 and can have her dogs back once she pays the fine.
Carlson said he was upset at the time it took officers to remove the chihuahuas from the car. He estimates the dogs were inside the car for four-and-a-half hours.
"You may not see signs of distress, but they're cooking in there," he said. "I think they should have broke window. It's just depressing."
