A Denver dog-care provider has been charged with one count of cruelty to animals after Daisy, a 12½-year-old dachshund, died after being left in a car on a hot September day, according to her family and Gualtier’s statement. Daisy’s family says the dog was in the care of Ted Gualtier, owner of Happy Tail Happy Dog, LLC, when she was left in the vehicle on Sept. 6. Temperatures in Denver reached the low 90s that day. Donna Antonoff, speaking for her sister Diane Gilcrest, Daisy’s owner, said Gualtier told the family he had put Daisy in his car while he went inside his home to get his own dog. He became distracted and did not return to the car for about two hours, Antonoff said. Gualtier said in a statement that a dog in his care had died and that he was devastated. He said he had cared for hundreds of dogs over 14 years without a similar incident, and that he was reviewing his operation. He declined to comment further, citing the pending legal process. Antonoff said Gualtier had cared for Daisy for about two years and walked her twice daily. The family trusted him with the dog, she said. Gualtier later apologized repeatedly in an email to Gilcrest, describing Daisy as “truly an angel” and taking responsibility for what happened, according to the family. Daisy had been Gilcrest’s companion for more than 12 years. Her family hopes her death will prompt pet owners to carefully check references and make other inquiries before choosing someone to care for their animals, Antonoff said.