Newport Beach Police released body-cam footage Friday of an officer smashing a car window to rescue five dogs trapped in lethal heat.
The May 18 incident unfolded on the 2400 block of Holly Lane in Newport Beach, California, where an Animal Control officer found the dogs inside a vehicle with windows only “slightly cracked open,” according to a department statement. Most of the animals were confined in cages and already showing visible signs of distress as temperatures inside the parked car climbed to dangerous levels.
The officer determined the dogs faced immediate safety risks and broke a window to reach them.
A veterinarian later evaluated the rescued animals and found their body temperatures had reached levels that can be deadly for canines, police said. All five dogs survived and have since fully recovered from the ordeal.
The dogs’ owner was issued a misdemeanor citation for multiple animal-welfare violations, and the case has been forwarded to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for review, according to police. Three of the rescued dogs remain at the Newport Beach Animal Shelter and are currently available for adoption.
The department shared the footage as Southern California endures a prolonged heat wave driven by a strong high-pressure system, with inland and desert temperatures pushing into the triple digits through the coming week. A gradual break is forecast around Aug. 29-30, when inland temperatures are expected to dip back toward double digits.
“Pets can’t cool themselves the way humans do,” police wrote in their Friday statement. “And leaving them inside a vehicle can quickly turn into a life-threatening situation.”
California law specifically prohibits leaving animals unattended in vehicles under dangerous conditions. Penal Code Section 597.7 makes it a crime when heat, cold or lack of proper ventilation endangers an animal’s health. A first offense without severe injury carries a fine of up to $100 per animal, while subsequent violations can bring fines of up to $500 per violation. If an animal suffers great bodily injury or dies, the offense becomes a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 in fines and six months in county jail.
In the viral moment captured on body-cam, the officer is seen making the split-second decision to break the glass after assessing the dogs’ deteriorating condition. The footage shows the animals packed inside the vehicle, with most restricted in cages that prevented them from moving freely or seeking cooler positions. Police emphasized that the rescue demonstrates how rapidly a parked vehicle becomes lethal even when outside temperatures do not feel extreme.
The Newport Beach Police Department urged anyone who spots an animal in distress inside a parked vehicle to call for help immediately rather than attempting intervention themselves. The department’s non-emergency line is 949-644-3717.
“Our Animal Control Officers are there when moments matter, protecting the community’s two and four-legged residents,” the department added.