ELLSWORTH – As the temperature hovered near 90 degrees on Wednesday, two pet owners in Ellsworth learned an agonizingly painful lesson in just how dangerous this hot, humid weather can be.

According to Ellsworth police Lt. Harold Page, a mother and her adult daughter parked their car at the Home Depot on Myrick Street around 2 p.m. and left their dogs inside the car while they shopped.

When the women emerged from the store about 45 minutes later, police said, the dogs had died from heat exhaustion.

Page would not release the names of the women because they have not been charged, but he said his office had begun an investigation of animal cruelty.

Any findings will be forwarded to the Hancock County District Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether charges are appropriate, Page said.

The dog owners said they left their dogs inside the car, a 1996 Subaru Legacy, but kept the engine and air conditioning running. When they returned to the car, the engine and air conditioning were not running. Police later observed the air-conditioning controls were in the on position and the keys were in the ignition.

The women tried to administer CPR to their pets, a Rottweiler and a Lab mix, but were unsuccessful, according to Page. By that time, a Home Depot employee had called police.

“They were very shaken up and remorseful,” Page said of the dog owners. “There was nothing intentional here, but still, you have to look at the level of negligence.”

Norma Worley, director of the state’s Animal Welfare Division, said by telephone Thursday that she had not been informed of the Ellsworth case, but she didn’t sound surprised.

“This is the first case I’ve heard of this year, but last year I know we had several cases,” Worley said, referring to dogs dying from heat exhaustion. “It’s really unfortunate because this happens every year.”

Page said he didn’t know exactly how hot it got in Ellsworth on Wednesday, but many communities throughout the state reached temperatures in the 80s and 90s on Wednesday and Thursday. The hot weather is expected to continue today.

Worley said parked cars could reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees on a hot summer day, in a matter of minutes.

She also pointed out that dogs and cats do not perspire and can dispel heat only by panting and through the pads of their feet.

Page couldn’t remember the last time something like this happened in Ellsworth, but he said officers often are asked on summer days to check the well-being of dogs in cars.

“My first word of advice is: Don’t bring them. Leave them at home,” he said. “But if you have to take them with you, check on them often, even if you leave the air conditioning on.”

Lt. Steve Hunt at the Bangor Police Department said officers in the Queen City also are busy this time of year with animal complaint calls.

“We get several daily. I think our animal control person is our busiest officer right now,” he said.

But Hunt agreed with Page that he couldn’t remember the last time a death was reported.

“Sometimes, we check on them and they’re fine,” Hunt said. “Other times, we leave a warning card. Sometimes we have to take the dogs.”

Worley said anyone who notices an animal in a parked car for an extended period of time should not hesitate to call a local police department.