The B.C. SPCA says it will monitor an internal RCMP investigation into the treatment of a police dog that was locked in a hot truck in a parking lot for three hours while an RCMP officer went fishing.

SPCA spokeswoman Marcy Moriarty called the situation, "unacceptable" and said her agency will keep an eye on the internal police investigation.

"It is of great concern. Last time I checked police dogs weren't different than any other dogs in terms of heat stroke," said Moriarty.

The 10-month-old German shepherd was discovered by workers and patrons at the Goldstream Boathouse in Langford, B.C., on Wednesday as temperatures soared above 30 C in the area.

The off-duty officer left the windows of the SUV partially open, but witnesses said that was not enough to keep the vehicle cool.

Witnesses described the interior of the police SUV as a "furnace" and said the young dog was in obvious distress. The witnesses said they tried to cool the vehicle with a hose and a canopy for an hour before calling 911.

The RCMP eventually showed up two hours later to remove the dog. Officers initially tried to explain away the concerns for the dog by saying police dogs were used to working in hot conditions.

"We work our dogs all the time in these kinds of temperatures — 25 degrees in the summertime. We work the dogs in 35 degrees. There's a nice breeze blowing," said RCMP Const. Mitch Fiddick.

Police launch investigation

On Thursday, the RCMP issued a statement saying that after reviewing video tape of the incident they were launching an internal investigation of the incident.

"We share the concerns of many others in the community, relating to the safety of the dog in this situation," said the statement issued by Cpl. Darren Lagan.

"The RCMP has high expectations of the level of care provided to our police dogs. Leaving the dog in these circumstances does not appear to meet these expectations," said Lagan.

The dog, which was being raised by the officer to be trained as a police dog, is healthy, and showed no signs of medical distress after the incident, said police.