Animal control officials arrived on the scene quickly and attempted to take the dog to an emergency veterinary clinic, but the dog died during the trip, Halleran said.

Police arrested the dog’s owner, Joseph Regis Jr., and booked him into San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of felony animal cruelty, Halleran said.

Regis, 50, who police said is a transient, was asleep in a room in the motel when officers arrived, according to Halleran.

Regis said he had last checked on the dog around 3 a.m., Halleran said.

On an 80-degree day, the temperature inside a car can heat up to 120 degrees within minutes, Halleran said. Belmont police and the Peninsula Humane Society urge owners to never leave dogs alone in cars in hot weather.

source KTVU San Francisco