A German shepherd helped save her own life and the the life of a feline companion last month when the two were locked in a hot car in an Indianpolis hotel parking lot.

Unfortunately, a second dog in the vehicle died before public safety officers could rescue the animals, but Abby, the shepherd, got the attention of the hotel manager by repeatedly honking the car’s horn, WTHR reported.

The manager called for help, and Indianapolis Public Safety Officer S. Poe responded. He found the vehicle locked with “windows barely cracked” and no air conditioning in 90 degree outside temperatures. Poe got the animals free and then later inquired about adopting Abby.

“I switched her collar, and it was like Abby knew she was home for good,” Poe said.

Officers arrested a man and a woman on animal cruelty charges after the incident.

The cat found inside the car was also adopted.

Police departments across the country are cautioning citizens to keep children and their pets inside and especially out of parked hot cars as summer heats up. A 4-year-old Texas girl died on Wednesday after she was left in a car when her family returned home from errands, as CrimeOnline reported. The 4-year-old girl is the seventh child to have died in a hot car this year. According to No Heat Stroke, 29 children died of vehicular heatstrokes in 2023.

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[Featured image: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department]