Protecting Dogs in Hot Cars

Now that summer is here, the dogs in hot cars problem is cropping up again. Just last week a Texas police officer was charged with cruelty to animals for leaving his Belgian Malinois to die in a hot vehicle. It's a story that is sadly becoming all too common. On the flip side, I've also seen a photo of a sign on a car window asking people not to break in to rescue their pup because the air conditioner and music was on. The good thing is, as awareness has grown, more people are looking out for distressed dogs, and more states are creating protections for these situations.

20 states have laws that permit rescuing pets from parked cars, but all but three limit the protection to specific types of people, such as law enforcement or animal control.

California is currently one of those states that authorizes peace officers, humane officers, and animal control officers to remove an animal in danger from a car. But a new proposed law will extend that protection to all people who rescue pets in this predicament.

The Right to Rescue Act has some stipulations before individuals can just break into anyone's windows without remorse. Rescuers will be required to check whether the car is locked first and have a "good faith belief" that the animal is in danger if they aren't removed immediately. Then they must contact police or animal control before entering the vehicle, and stay until the animal can be surrendered to law enforcement.

Temperatures don't even have to rise that high for cars to become dangerous. When outside temperatures are 70 degrees, the interior of a car can reach 89 degrees in 10 minutes and 99 degrees in 20 minutes.

In preparation for the warmer months, familiarize yourself with your state's laws and with the signs of heat stroke in dogs. It could come in handy when you come across a hot pup! For more information on individual state laws, check out Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center's web site.