State police arrested a Massena man whose dog died after being left in a car for four hours today while the man went to the New York State Fair with his girlfriend.

Patrick J. Oneill, 66, was charged with a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty.

Trooper Jack Keller said temperatures inside the car hit nearly 100 degrees. He said Oneill had left one window slightly open and had left no water for the female black Labrador retriever.

Keller said an attendant called troopers to the Red Cross parking lot across from the fairgrounds about 2 p.m. When they arrived, they saw Oneill standing over the female dog, named Ali. The dog was having a seizure and barely breathing, Keller said.

Troopers tried unsuccessfully to save the dog by cooling it with water and ice.

Keller said Oneill had arrived at the fair with his girlfriend about 10:30 a.m.

"He said he thought it would be OK to leave his dog," Keller said. "About four hours later he goes back to check on the dog, and the dog is having seizures."

Oneill, of 326 Haverstock Road, was ordered to appear in Geddes Town Court Sept. 16.

Oneill was charged in May with 22 counts of animal cruelty for failing to care for his 22 horses.

State police found three horse skeletons in a field and a fourth horse decomposing inside a barn, according to news reports.

Contact Glenn Coin at gcoin@syracuse.com or 315-470-3251.