BUENA PARK — With temperatures soaring into the mid 90s next week, officials at the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority are reminding pet owners to not leave their animals inside their vehicles during the summer heat.

“We don’t want to see these animals in distress,” said animal control officer Denise Woodside.

This week, Woodside responded to a 3 p.m. call of a dog left inside a Toyota Avalon at a Knott’s Berry Farm parking lot. Woodside said she arrived in approximately five minutes later and found the dog, a Chihuahua mix, whining and panting.

Temperatures inside the car that day almost reached 100 degrees, Woodside said. The rear window was slightly down and Woodside pulled the lock open. The dog’s owner arrived shortly after and gave the dog some water.

“This is one incident and we see this way too often,” Woodside said. “It shouldn’t be happening at all.”

“You’re putting your animal in danger and it’s against the law,” Woodside added.

Woodside cited the owner of the dog for leaving an animal in an unattended vehicle. She faces a fine of up to $2,000 or jail time.

Woodside said that even if water is left in the vehicle and the window is cracked open, it’s still dangerous to leave a pet inside.

“The internal climate is still escalating,” Woodside said.

For more, go to seaaca.org to see public service announcements about animal safety during the summer.

See an animal in trouble, call it in: Find a list of phone numbers for animal control authorities and Orange County police departments at Pet Tales.

Contact the writer: amolina@ocregister.com or 714-704-3795