COLLIER COUNTY, FL – A Florida man is in hot water after leaving his pet parrot locked inside a hot car in a parking lot this weekend
Police say Shawn Wilder, 63, was charged with animal cruelty after locking his cockatiel inside a parked car for over two hours as temperatures outside reached 93 degrees on Saturday.
A man was arrested Saturday after he left a cockatiel parrot in his locked vehicle in a parking lot for more than two hours.
“Leaving an animal in a hot car is dangerous and potentially deadly to the animal,” said Sheriff Kevin Rambosk. “I commend the person who alerted us to this situation and the actions of our deputies and Domestic Animal Services.”
Deputies responded to 7550 Mission Hills Drive at 12:22 p.m. after someone reported that a bird had been in a car for the past couple of hours and was exhibiting signs of distress.
Collier County Domestic Animal Services also responded. As firefighters were en route to force entry to the vehicle, Wilder returned to the scene and unlocked the car.
The air temperature was 93 degrees. Temperature readings from the interior of two nearby cars came in at 125 degrees and 121 degrees.
A DAS officer transported the bird to a veterinarian to be checked out and then took it to the DAS shelter. The photo of the cockatiel accompanying this post was provided by DAS after the bird was examined by the veterinarian.