Woman arrested for leaving dog in hot car in Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT (WFSB) - A woman faces a cruelty to animals charge after police said she left a dog in a hot car in Southington last month.

Denise Kedzierski, 58, of Wilton, was arrested on Monday.

Southington police said they were called to the parking lot of the Southington Care Center on Meriden Avenue on June 30 around 1:45 p.m.

A report referenced an unattended dog in a white Jeep Cherokee.

An officer arrived and found the dog and the vehicle. The officer also located their owner, Kedzierski.

Kedzierski reported to police she had left her dog in her vehicle for no more than 20 minutes while inside the care center. She said the windows had been rolled down to allow air to enter the vehicle.

The officer noted at the time of the call that the temperature was 83.8 degrees.

According to witnesses, they noticed something inside the vehicle, which turned out to be a dog. They also claimed the vehicle was parked directly in the sunlight and the dog appeared increasingly lethargic, was breathing heavy, and panting.

Both officers and witnesses reported that the dog had been in the vehicle at least 25 minutes with the two front windows open approximately 2 to 3 inches.

Police said that based on the details of the investigation, on July 25, Kedzierski was taken into custody, charged with cruelty to animals.

She was released on a $5,000 non-surety bond and given a court date of Aug. 8 in New Britain.