Make no bones about it, Jennifer Beals is a dog lover, through and through. The Proof star received criticism on Wednesday, July 29, after footage surfaced of the actress in Vancouver, Canada, returning to her car — where she’d left her German shepherd.
In footage shot by Canada’s Global News, a concerned bystander approaches Beals as she returns to her car to tell the actress that this was the second time he’d witnessed a dog sitting in a hot car this year.
“In Dunbar, it is, it’s fine. It’s fine, okay?” the actress can be heard saying on-camera. “Thank you.”
The passerby reported the incident to the West Vancouver police.
Beals explained on Thursday that she did not intentionally put the dog in danger in any way.
“I have loved dogs my whole life,” she told Us Weekly. “They’ve been in my life since the day I was born. Every dog I’ve had has been a rescue. I would never ever jeopardize an animal’s safety. Ever.”
“I’ve worked with dogs in obedience, agility, and shepherding training,” she continued. “I am not only a loving dog owner but a discerning one. The morning was a cool 73 degrees. I, and others, were wearing jackets. I rolled all four windows down and left the car for five minutes to pick up laundry, my car visible to me the entire time.”
“I wondered why two people were congregated by my car taking pictures of my girl. Proud mama thought it was because she’s so gorgeous. While I appreciate their vigilance and what must have felt like courage on their part, they were barking up the wrong tree.”
Certified dog trainer Laura London added that the 51-year-old Flashdance star did nothing wrong.
“Jennifer is one of the more savvy and committed dog owners I have ever worked with,” she told Us. “She has a hard-wired intuition that most owners do not. I teach all of my clients the importance of responsible dog ownership from training, to health, to safety, including hot car danger.”
“I can say with confidence that Jennifer never put her beautiful dog in danger.”