On July 6, 2015, a parking enforcement officer ticketing illegally parked vehicles in San Antonio, Spain, saved the life of Barbita, a four-year-old mixed breed dog, locked inside the trunk of a car. The dog was left in the unventilated compartment while temperatures reached 113 °F. Her life was saved because officers arrived on time, 15 more minutes inside the hot trunk would have claimed the dog’s life.

A female parking officer approached the vehicle left on Caminàs dels Hòmens street without a parking permit and started to issue the ticked when she heard strange sounds coming from the back of the car. The officer feared it was a dog an immediately called police officers for reinforcement.

Officers were dispatched to the location and they first tried to locate the car’s owner, but when the owner was not found and due to the extreme hot temperatures, police decided to break into the car and save the pet.

One of the car window’s was left opened and officers used the gap to insert an object to unlock the car doors. Once the doors were opened, officers opened the trunk and found an unconscious dog trapped under a bicycle.

Accordion to Las Provincias Barbita was minutes away from dying. She was dehydrated, had vomited and defecated in the car’s trunk.

Neighbors rushed to bring water for the pet and as soon as vitals signs were detected, the dog was transferred to a local veterinary clinic. Veterinarians worked to stabilize and save the pet and later relinquished her to Esperança Animal rescue group.

Authorities later identified the vehicle’s owner and charged him with felony animal cruelty and neglect. Now it is up to the legal system to penalize the pet owner for his criminal actions.