Woman charged after allegedly leaving dog in hot car at mall
A woman was charged Saturday night after she allegedly left her pet in a hot car parked behind of the Peachtree Mall, authorities said.
Sharon Shelby, 49, faces one count of animal cruelty in connection with the incident at 3131 Manchester Expressway. She was summoned to Columbus Recorder’s Court.
Columbus police were notified around 6 p.m. Saturday about a dog being left alone in a locked vehicle. The windows were down about 6 inches, and it was 82 degrees with 89 percent humidity, according to an arrest report.
Ten minutes after officers approached the vehicle, the owner returned to her car.
Police said Shelby exited the mall and immediately yelled, “I haven’t been in the mall but 10 minutes! I love my dog! He just came from the groomers!’”
An officer told the woman that the mall was dog-friendly and it was illegal to leave her pet in the car. Shelby allegedly continued to yell that she loved her dog and she hadn’t been in the mall long.
Sarah Robinson: 706-571-8622, @sarahR_92
This story was originally published June 28, 2017 at 9:08 AM with the headline "Woman charged after allegedly leaving dog in hot car at mall."