By Gina Horan
Lady Lake Puppy Rescue Highlights Deadly Danger of Hot Cars
In light of a recent animal cruelty arrest in Lady Lake involving a puppy left inside a hot car, local veterinarians are reminding pet owners just how quickly Florida heat can become deadly, even during short errands.
Lady Lake Police officers rescued a black puppy May 16 after receiving reports of a dog trapped inside a parked vehicle at the 5 Below shopping center on U.S. Highway 27/441. According to police, temperatures outside exceeded 92° when officers arrived around 2:25pm and found the puppy panting heavily, crying and scratching at the cracked windows while locked inside the car.
Officers Jeffrey Burns and Michael Tisdell determined the vehicle was not running and the interior temperature was dangerously hot. They unlocked the vehicle, removed the puppy and placed her inside an air-conditioned patrol car after she quickly drank an entire bottle of water and appeared to recover.
The owner, identified as Yeneese Morejon, 26, was arrested on charges of animal cruelty.
“Our officers acted quickly and compassionately to save this puppy from a potentially deadly situation,” says Lady Lake Police Chief Steve Hunt. “Leaving an animal inside a vehicle in Florida heat, even for a short time, can quickly become fatal.”
While the puppy survived and is safe with a family member, veterinarians say these situations happen far more often than many people realize during the summer months.
Dr. Anne Valdes, DVM, of Purrfect Paws and Claws Veterinary Hospital in Leesburg says temperatures inside parked vehicles can rise rapidly within minutes, even when windows are cracked or owners believe they will only be gone briefly.
“People underestimate how fast cars heat up,” Dr. Valdes says. “By the time an animal begins showing signs of distress, they may already be experiencing heatstroke.”
Warning signs can include excessive panting, drooling, lethargy, vomiting, bright red gums, disorientation and collapse. Puppies, senior dogs and flat-faced breeds are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, temperatures inside a parked car can climb well above 110° in a short amount of time, even when outside temperatures feel manageable.
Dr. Valdes recommends leaving pets at home during errands whenever possible, especially during afternoon hours when pavement and vehicle temperatures peak. If pets must travel, owners should ensure air conditioning remains running and animals are never left unattended.
The incident also highlighted the importance of community awareness. Police credited a concerned citizen for calling 911 after noticing the distressed puppy inside the vehicle.
“That call likely saved the dog’s life,” Dr. Valdes says.
Gina moved to Central Florida in August 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a degree in linguistics and worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist lifestyle columnist and food writer for the Knight Ridder Newspaper Group. She also covered and photographed music festivals, fashion shows and sports throughout Northern California. In 2000, she joined KSAN radio as a morning show co-host and produced the news and sports content there for four years. She later covered travel, events and the restaurant scene for KRON-Bay TV. A veteran bartender, Gina has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. She has been with Akers Media since 2022 and hosts the Healthy Living Central Florida podcast. Her passions include travel, road trips, baseball, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map or guidebook.
