Elijah Waldrop, 34, of Cortland is facing animal cruelty charges after police say they found two puppies locked in a hot car.

Officers responded to the Pauni Apartments on Liberty Boulevard in Cortland Wednesday after it was reported that puppies were locked in a Jeep in the parking lot of the complex.

When they got there, police found two Mastiff puppies in a "small soft kennel" in the back of a Jeep Liberty, which police say had its four windows open by only two inches.

Officers unlocked the vehicle and opened the doors and the back hatch to vent the interior.

According to the report, the puppies had no water, food or cool air in the vehicle, and were unable to move around due to their small enclosure.

The report stated that the vehicle had been there for two hours.

Police say that they performed a radar calibration which indicated that the internal temperature of the Jeep was 168 degrees.

The puppies were removed from the vehicle and taken by the Trumbull County Dog Warden’s Office.

 

Elijah Waldrop
Elijah Waldrop  

 Waldrop, who is the owner of the Jeep, was arrested and booked into the Trumbull County Jail where he will be held until his arraignment hearing Friday at the Trumbull County Central District Court. He is facing two counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals. 

Police are continuing to follow up with the Dog Warden and Animal Welfare, and are still working to obtain security footage and a written statement from the manager of the apartment complex.