An aging German Shepherd left in a locked vehicle died Saturday, apparently from heat exhaustion, and his owner, a veterinary surgeon, was arrested.
The dog's owner, Douglas James Huber, 51, of Rancho Mirage, was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.
Sheriff's deputies were called to 42065 Washington St. Saturday morning to investigate the report of a dog left in a locked vehicle with no food or water, Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Radek Horkel wrote in a news release.
Unable to find the 8-year-old dog's owner, a deputy broke a window to get to the animal; it died at the scene, Horkel said.
Huber, whose office is at the location where the vehicle with the dog inside was parked, was cited and released on bond for $2,500 and ordered to appear in court Oct. 10.
