Ulster cops rescue dog from parked car, charge owner

A dog trapped in an unventilated car at the Hudson Valley Mall on Sunday, May 17, was rescued by Ulster town police after a tip from an alert passer-by. The owner, 24-year-old Joshua Rivera of Palenville, was arrested and charged with confinement of a companion animal in a vehicle during extreme temperatures, a violation under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.

According to town police, they got a call at 2:17 p.m. on Sunday reporting a panting dog trapped in a car in the mall parking lot near Macy’s. Upon arriving, police located the car, parked in direct sunlight with the windows rolled up and a dog, panting and appearing to be in distress, stuck inside.

Officers got the dog out of the car; other than being overheated, the dog was not injured, police said. They added that at the time they got to the dog, the temperature inside the vehicle was estimated to be more than 90 degrees.

Rivera was issued an appearance ticket for court.