At 3:17 p.m. Wednesday, Reynolds was dispatched to Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital's parking lot for an animal cruelty complaint, Cpl. R.E. Redden, also a K-9 officer, said. Callers could hear the puppy crying inside the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, but it could not be seen.
Reynolds arrived and, without having to force his way into the car, began combing through "immense" trash to find the puppy he could also hear crying, Redden said. The puppy's owner showed up, and she helped find the puppy.
The temperature was about 87 degrees outside, and it was even hotter in the car, Reynolds said. Windows were "barely" cracked.
Patrolwoman Dawn Smith then came to the scene and took the female puppy, believed to be a four-week-old Golden Retriever, to the Raleigh County Humane Society, Redden said. However, the animal shelter officials said it needed medical attention and constant care. Not only was the puppy dehydrated, it also had no teeth. Therefore, it could not eat without assistance.
Smith said the puppy appeared to be traumatized, but it rode on her left shoulder during the ride in her patrol car. When she would be stopped at traffic lights, people waved at the puppy riding with the police officer.
When Reynolds came to pick up the puppy from Smith's shoulder, its claws were latched onto her.
Reynolds then took the puppy to Beckley Veterinary Hospital, where Redden said the police department takes all of its K-9s for treatment. Initially, evening shift road patrol and K-9 officers were going to foot the puppy's vet bill. Then, Chief Tim Deems said he would pay.
However, Beckley Veterinary Hospital took care of the puppy for free, Reynolds said. Veterinarians treated the puppy for both fleas and the dehydration.
"We got it, I guess, just in time," Reynolds said.
Charges against the owner are pending, Reynolds said. The puppy must remain in police custody until any charges against the owner are resolved. In the meantime, Reynolds will make sure the puppy is OK.
The puppy's owner did not give officers a reason for leaving the puppy in the car, Reynolds said.
West Virginia's animal cruelty law states it is illegal to leave an animal unattended and confined in a motor vehicle when physical injury or death is likely to result. Reynolds encouraged people to never leave an animal unattended in hot cars, not only because it was illegal, but also because of what can happen to that animal.
Lt. Cheri Mullens, the shift supervisor on duty at that time, said the puppy was taken into police custody for its well-being. While some caring citizens may want to give it a loving home, officers must go through proper legal channels and cannot simply give it away.
Mullens, the owner of a mixed-breed dog named Eustice, shared the officers' feelings.
"My feelings are like theirs," she said. "It's sad. It was a defenseless little puppy at the mercy of its owner. It could not get out of the car (on its own)."