A British police dog handler could face criminal charges for leaving two German shepherds locked in a hot police car where they died.

The cruiser was parked outside Sherwood Lodge, headquarters of the Nottinghamshire Police in Nottingham, The Daily Mail reported Thursday. The county police kennels were nearby.

The incident is also being investigated by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The group's experts say that on the hottest day of the summer so far, when the temperature reached 84 degrees, it could have been 116 inside the car.

Officers left flowers in the car park Thursday in memory of the two dogs, which had been donated to the Nottinghamshire Police.

"This has caused understandable upset and shock to all concerned," Chief Superintendent Ak Khan said. "We are taking the matter very seriously and we can understand the upset that this has caused. We will certainly learn any lessons and make sure this never happens again."