Leaving a puppy in a hot car on a 90-degree day is just as dangerous as leaving a baby.
One couple found that out when officers at the Mall of Georgia received a complaint about a dog crying and panting in the back seat of their BMW.
The puppy, whose name is Coco, was in the car for two hours before his owners, Somsanit Thammavong, 38, and Cala Raeann Franks, 25, both of Demorest, returned, according to a news release.
A caller notified police of the fretted dog Tuesday about 7 p.m. in front of the J.C. Penny inside the mall.
The officer approached the car and noticed a marijuana smell coming from the windows, which were rolled two to three inches down.
Then the officer saw a small, white and tan puppy hiding, crying and breathing heavily under the passenger seat, according to the release.
The officer used his baton to break the passenger vehicle and rescue Coco.
Once free, Coco was given water and placed in an air-conditioned patrol car. He was later taken to an emergency veterinarian.
The owners told officers they were in the car for a few minutes, but surveillance footage showed they parked at 5 p.m., according to the release. The internal temperature of the car was 98 degrees. Marijuana was also found in the car.
Thammavong and Raeann were both were charged with cruelty to animals and possession of marijuana.
Coco is at the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter being cared for pending the outcome of the case.
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