Dan Harkins: 'Sorry' for Leaving Dog in Car

SCOTTSDALE - Dan Harkins, the owner of Harkins theatres, is continuing trying to make amends for leaving his dog in a hot car during a movie showing during the weekend.

The 57-year-old media mogul was cited for animal neglect and parking in a handicapped space on Saturday evening in Scottsdale. The dog had been left in the car, with the windows cracked and the outside temperature in the triple digits, for more than 3 hours.

The dog did not need medical treatment.

On Monday, he said he was sorry and called it a terrible lapse in judgment. He said he would've brought the dog inside had Maricopa County health code permitted him to.

Wednesday, he released a video apology on YouTube, saying, "I apologize to everyone and especially those who have rightfully criticized me. There is no excuse for parking in a handicapped parking space and there's no circumstance that justifies leaving an animal in a car in Arizona. This will never happen again."

Harkins also announced he is starting a $200,000 campaign to bring animal advocacy PSAs to all Harkins Theatres.

In his earlier interview, Harkins said he planned to fight the animal neglect citation. We asked his spokesperson if his new video apology signaled he would be dropping that fight, but we're told, he hasn't decided yet.