Auburn police say the woman who left a half-dead dog found in a car at a Walmart on Sunday is an alleged shoplifter who didn’t tell officers about the puppy when she was taken to jail.
The woman, Season Bartley, 37, of Poland, was charged with shoplifting Saturday night, and had borrowed the unregistered car from a friend, Deputy Police Chief Jason Moen said.
That left police with no knowledge of the dog until Christal Smith called them at about 4 p.m. Sunday. Police took the dog to an animal shelter for treatment, Moen said.
An Auburn police officer determined the temperature was 103 degrees in the car, even though the windows were cracked.
Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.