Army vet rescues dog trapped in hot car by smashing window

The dog days of summer are almost upon us — and with warmer weather come devastating reports of animals and children left in hot cars.

One dog lover refused to let his be another sad story.

Jason Minson of Norfolk, Va., was working at a job site on an 80-degree day when he spotted a distressed dog in the back seat of a locked car. Fearing authorities wouldn’t make it in time to save the panting pooch, Minson decided to free the overheated pup by smashing in the car window.

“It’s cruelty leaving a living being in conditions that hot — it’s cruel,” Minson tells WTKR News 3.

This hero says the back window of the silver sedan parked near the Old Dominion University campus was open about an inch, so he gave the black Lab mix two bottles of water through the crack. He also called first responders right away.

“I honestly didn’t think the dog would make it long enough for the fire department to get there,” says Minson.

Animal Control tells News 3 that the dog is doing well, and charges against the owner are pending.

Minson, an Army vet with a Great Dane service dog, says leaving your pets in a hot car is unthinkable. “They depend on us to take care of them like a child would. If you’re going to be a dog owner, you have to step up to those responsibilities.”

He says if his dog, Rex, were ever in that position, he hopes some other good Samaritan would do the same.

“Everyone is always in a rush; rush here, rush there, pick up kids, get groceries, and we forget,” he says. “I don’t know how you could, but some people forget. If I ever got out and went in the store and forgot about Rex, I would pray someone would knock my window out.”