Toy poodle was locked inside hot Mercedes with a window cracked, police say.
TRENTON -- A New Jersey state trooper smashed the window of a Mercedes-Benz to rescue a dog in distress over the weekend, authorities said.
The toy poodle was locked inside the hot car with a window cracked outside a thrift store in Pilesgrove Township in Salem County on Saturday, according to a statement from the State Police.
State Trooper Frankie Williams was responding to a call from a third party around 2:30 p.m. and found the small dog suffering from severe heat stroke, the statement said. The trooper noticed the dog lying on its side inside a crate in "obvious distress."
"August days in Jersey are typically hot, but they're even hotter inside a car with rolled up windows," a State Police spokesman wrote on the division's Facebook page. "Car temperatures can quickly climb to lethal heights for children, pets and even adults."
The trooper broke the car's rear driver's side window with a baton, removing the dog and bringing it to a shaded area, authorities said. There, the dog was given water before it was taken to Saint Francis Veterinary Center in Woolwich for treatment.
The animal's owner, a 43-year-old woman from State College, Pennsylvania, was charged with animal abuse. Authorities said veterinary staff confirmed the dog was in critical condition at the time, but is now in stable condition in the custody of animal control.
"Even if it doesn't feel too hot outside, leaving your pets unattended in a car with windows rolled up can have deadly consequences," the statement said.
S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.