It’s a hot summer day and, as you walk across a parking lot, you spot a car with a dog inside. The dog looks uncomfortable and the owner is nowhere in sight. What do you do? If you’re the sort of person who would decide to take matters into your own hands and free the dog, you’ll be in support of a new measure which would make Californians immune from liability resulting from rescuing pets from hot cars.
A state law passed in 2006 made it illegal to leave animals in unattended vehicles when it’s hot or dangerous. As the LA Times reports, this bill would take the next step by protecting citizens who smash car windows or do other property damage when the pet owner appears to be in violation of that law.
While the LA County district attorney and the Humane Society of the United States are backing the new bill, not everybody thinks it’s a great idea to encourage what they see as vigilante dog rescues.
It’s possible that a wrongfully-accused pet owner “would have no recourse for damage to the car or the loss or death of his dog in the course of the rescue,” according to an open letter sent to legislators by the California Federation of Dog Clubs, who oppose the bill.
Be that as it may, with temperatures soaring this summer and hot, dry weather predicted to hang around for months, the risk to animals left in vehicles is clear. Maybe rather than run the risk of someone attempting to rescue your dog when you just popped in somewhere for a moment, try seeking out one of LA’s many dog-friendly destinations and take your furry friend with you.