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Woman Saves Dog Left in Hot Car, but Responding Officer Says She Had ‘No Right’ to Do So
- Suzanne Vella called 911 on June 7, 2025, after spotting a panting dog locked in a hot car outside a Wendy's in Cornelius, North Carolina.
- Vella opened the unlocked car door to give water to the dog because the 90-degree heat posed a risk of heat stroke, and the dog owner was inside the restaurant.
- A Cornelius police officer arrived, reprimanded Vella for entering the vehicle, and repeatedly asked if the dog's owner wanted to press charges, while the owner declined and left the scene.
- Vella was not prosecuted, nor was the dog’s owner, but the police department announced ongoing investigations into the alleged animal cruelty by the owner and the conduct of the responding officer, while also emphasizing enhanced training to promote respectful and empathetic interactions.
- Vella expressed that the experience restored her faith in humanity, and her Instagram video of the incident has been viewed over one million times online.
13 Articles
13 Articles
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Cleveland 19 News
Woman saves dog left in hot car, but responding officer says she had ‘no right’ to do so
A woman in North Carolina said she helped a dog who was trapped inside a hot car on a 90-degree day, but a responding police officer told her she had “no right” to do so.
North Carolina Police Officer Condemned Good Samaritan Who Rescued Dog Locked in Hot Car. He's Now Under Investigation
A woman who saved a dog from a hot car in North Carolina is being applauded online—while the responding officer who scolded her is now under investigation.
Driver charged for opening car door to save a life - they broke little-known law
A WOMAN landed herself in deep water after opening a stranger’s car door in a bizarre little-known law. Suzanne Vella of Cornelius, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, was rightly concerned when she saw a dog panting inside a hot car parked in a shopping center parking lot. WBTVSuzanne Vella was left stunned when she unknowingly broke the law to help a dog trapped inside a hot car[/caption] WBTVVella filmed the moment she found the dog in a park…
Cornelius Police investigating woman reporting dog being left in pickup truck, confrontation with officer
CORNELIUS, NC (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- An incident is under investigation in Cornelius after a woman reportedly discovered a dog left alone in a parking lot, and broke into the vehicle to help. According to the Cornelius Police Department, officers responded on June 7 to a parking lot off West Catawba Avenue at 2:18 p.m. regarding a dog in a car. The officer arrived at 2:26 p.m. No Swim Advisory issued for algae bloom found in Lake Norman cov…
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