BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Police in South Florida rescued a dog that was left in a hot car on Monday. 

According to the Boynton Beach Police Department, officers responded to the parking lot located near a Bank of America after receiving a call from a concerned citizen around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

When police arrived, they found a pit bull locked in a powered off car with the windows rolled up. Police then went from store to store for several minutes, trying to locate the owner.

After officers were unable to locate the dog's owner, Sgt. John Dunlop used his baton to break a window and rescue the animal. Police said the temperature inside the vehicle was at least 110 degrees.

About 15 minutes after officers responded to the call, the owner showed up and explained that she had just left the dog park and had to stop at the bank. She said the drive-thru was closed and she had to run inside to take care of her business.

An animal cruelty investigator cited her for violation of Palm Beach County Ordinance 98-22,Section 24, dog left unattended in vehicle. The dog was returned to his owner after the investigator educated her about the law. 

In a Facebook post, the police department reminded folks that is NOT safe to leave a dog unattended in a hot car.

"Our advice, stop being lazy (harsh, yes, but true). Bring your pet home and then go back out to run whatever errands you need to do," the department wrote.