An Immokalee woman is facing animal cruelty charges after authorities say she left her 6-month-old schnauzer named Bigotes in 110-degree temperatures.
Ginobeba Obregon, 34, is charged with one felony count of animal cruelty.
According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, detectives with their Animal Cruelty Investigations Alliance arrested Obregon on Tuesday after an investigation revealed she left the puppy in a hot pickup truck for more than an hour while she was out shopping.
Detectives said Bigotes appeared to be in distress, but he was not injured and appeared to be in good health after the incident.
Arrest for child abuse: Naples man arrested for video voyeurism, accused of filming minor at Coastland Center
Bigotes was sitting on the center armrest, breathing heavily, when officers arrived at a Naples shopping center around 4:30 Sunday afternoon. The sheriff’s office said the pickup’s engine was off and its windows were slightly cracked.
Sheriff’s deputies helped firefighters extract Bigotes from the pickup as temperatures inside rose to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to authorities, Obregon told officers she left Bigotes in the pickup truck for 30 minutes while she shopped at a boutique in the plaza.
According to the sheriff’s office, a concerned citizen told deputies she first saw the small white dog in the pickup truck at 12:54 p.m. When she returned to the pickup truck at 1:56 p.m., Bigotes was still in trouble and she contacted the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s investigation revealed that Bigotes had been left unattended in the pickup truck for at least an hour and fifteen minutes.
Obregon is due in court on October 9.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Immokalee Woman Accused of Leaving Puppy in Pickup Truck
