Police say a Norwalk woman is facing animal cruelty charges Sunday after leaving her dog in a hot car while she went shopping.

They say 25-year-old Jennifer Smith left her dog inside her car while she went into the Wal-Mart on Connecticut Avenue. When police arrived, they noticed the dog showed visible signs of distress.

Police say just as they were about to enter the vehicle, Smith exited the store.

They say that one of the car windows was cracked, but temperatures inside the vehicle reached 99 degrees.