Three defenseless dogs were left to perish in a hot car amid sweltering heatwave temperatures.

Police officers in Jamestown, Rhode Island responded to reports of three dogs found unresponsive in a vehicle parked in front of a grocery store. The pooches were a 7-month-old black Labrador, a 4-year-old black Labrador, and a grey Keeshond.

Cops said they were rushed to an animal hospital but it was already too late. They said that the dogs had been left in the car for ‘an extended period of time’ with the windows up and the air conditioning wasn’t working.

The owner, 65-year-old Ann Garnett, has been arrested and charged with three counts of unnecessary cruelty to animals and three counts of confinement of animals in a vehicle.

Temperatures in Jamestown that day reached 35C but felt as high as 43C.

Police chief Edward Mello said the woman’s decision to leave the pooches in the vehicle was ‘clearly unacceptable.’

He said: “The Jamestown Fire Department removed those dogs from the vehicle. They attempted to resuscitate them.

“[The dogs] were transported to the Newport Animal Hospital and a short time later they were determined to be deceased.

“I think any temperature, regardless of whether the air conditioner was on, the windows were down, to be in a vehicle for that extended period of time is clearly unacceptable.”

Unnecessary animal cruelty carries a possible penalty of 5 years in jail and $1,000 fine for each count.

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