'Unacceptable': Photo Shows Dog Left In Hot Car While Family Dined At Restaurant

WAREHAM (CBS) – A family left their dog in a hot car with only one window cracked open while they ate dinner at a Wareham restaurant, authorities say.

The Wareham Natural Resources Department posted a photo of a dog sitting in the front of a car on a warm Sunday evening. The department said one rear window was opened about two inches.

"The owner of the animal along with their family made the decision to leave the dog in the vehicle while the family had dinner at a local eatery," the department said. "This is unacceptable."

The department said the temperature outside was 86 degrees at the time. They fined the dog owner the maximum amount allowed by law, the department stated.

Under Massachusetts law, people who leave pets in hot vehicles are subject to a $150 fine on the first offense.