LPD urges citizens to not leave pets inside vehicles

LAUREL, Miss. - The Laurel Police Department have received several complaints over the last couple of weeks of people leaving their pets inside their vehicles while they go shopping. And with this warm weather, it is hard for a pet to survive inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up and no air.

"They think it's okay to leave a pet inside of a car with the windows rolled up for a few minutes. That's all it takes for a few minutes for an animal to die of heat exposure," said Chief of Laurel Police, Tyrone Stewart.

If the outside temperature is 95 degrees, it only takes ten minutes for a vehicle to reach 114 degrees, and 30 minutes for it to be 129 degrees.

"It's just as the same thing as seeing a child mistreated. And that's the reason why people need to understand when we come to a scene and a dog or a pet that's been left up in a vehicle, they're going to get a $500 ticket or even go as far as being arrested for animal cruelty. It's the same instance as taking an animal and putting it in the microwave. Now that's horrible," said Chief Stewart.

Chief Stewart also said no pets have died in Laurel this year, and hopes people will start taking better care of them.