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July 28, 2022

New York Police Department officer adopts dog she rescued from hot car

WATCH: Dog rescued from hot car adopted by rescuing officer

A New York City police officer has adopted the same dog that she helped save from a hot car last month.

Aruna Maharaj, an officer with the NYPD's 19th Precinct, adopted the pup after helping with its rescue.

"A month ago, this sweet doggo was rescued after his owner left him in his hot locked car for hours; yesterday, one of its rescuers, Officer Maharaj, adopted him," the 19th Precinct posted on its Twitter account.

This pup will never be neglected again!

A month ago, this sweet doggo was rescued after his owner left him in his hot locked car for hours; yesterday, one of it's rescuers, Officer Maharaj, adopted him! Thank you @ASPCA for taking such good care of this lucky pup! pic.twitter.com/F3dbH8TmV1

— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) July 27, 2022

The dog was found in a hot car on June 18. Nearby residents had noticed the dog locked in the car on 88th Street near Third Avenue for over two hours and called 911, police said.

PHOTO: In this screen grab posted to the Twitter account of the NYPD 19th Precinct, police officers are shown rescuing the dog from a hot car after a passerby reported the distressed animal.
@NYPD19Pct/Twitter
In this screen grab posted to the Twitter account of the NYPD 19th Precinct, police officers are shown rescuing the dog from a hot car after a passerby reported the distressed animal.

Passersby said the dog looked distressed inside the vehicle, according to police.

MORE: Georgia woman charged with two counts of animal cruelty for leaving dogs in hot car

Police broke open one of the car's windows to rescue the dog, helping it out of the vehicle before taking it to veterinary care.

A 26-year-old man was charged with animal cruelty, according to police.

The dog was taken in by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, before Maharaj adopted the dog from their care.

MORE: Cars alone in the sun can feel like an oven in little more than an hour for a child left inside

"This pup will never be neglected again!" the 19th Precinct said in its post.

PHOTO: In this screen grab posted to the Twitter account of the NYPD 19th Precinct, police officers are shown rescuing the dog from a hot car after a passerby reported the distressed animal.
@NYPD19Pct/Twitter
In this screen grab posted to the Twitter account of the NYPD 19th Precinct, police officers are shown rescuing the dog from a hot car after a passerby reported the distressed animal.

The ASPCA said that animals should never be left alone in hot cars. The organization also said it's important to look for signs of heatstroke in pets.

Excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or collapsing, are all signs of your pet overheating, the ASPCA said.

MORE: State policies on extreme heat seen as critical in mitigating climate change effects

According to the NYPD, it only takes 10 minutes for the inside of a car to reach 102 degrees on an 85-degree day.

PHOTO: In this photo posted to the to the NYPD 19th Precint's Twitter account, Officer Manaraj is shown with the rescued dog. Officer Manaraj helped rescue the pup and has now adopted the animal.
@NYPD19Pct/Twitter
In this photo posted to the to the NYPD 19th Precint's Twitter account, Officer Manaraj is shown with the rescued dog. Officer Manaraj helped rescue the pup and has now adopted the animal.

The Humane Society said that it's also important to watch out for humidity.

"It's not just the ambient temperature, but also the humidity that can affect your pet," Dr. Barry Kellogg, senior veterinary advisor of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, said in a Humane Society statement.

MORE: Extreme heat safety tips: What to know about heat stroke vs. heat exhaustion

Kellogg said that animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, however, they are unable to cool themselves down and their temperature can quickly reach dangerous levels.

The Humane Society encourages pet owners to limit their pets' exercise on hot days and provide lots of shade and water. They also note not to rely on fans, which don't work as effectively for animals as they do for humans.