A dog left inside a hot car should never be an issue. It is not the most difficult rule to follow but people are still leaving their dogs in the car when it is scorching hot.
It is not rocket science. If you can not take your dog with you at all times you should simply leave them at home. It is animal cruelty to leave them in hot cars to suffer and risk death. Anyone leaving a dog in a hot car should be punished.
Unfortunately, not all states have laws seriously punishing those who commit this type of misdemeanor. They just get a slap on the wrist and home they go. They remain free to risk their dog’s life another time.
This is what happened when Kymoni Beverly was charged with a misdemeanor. The judge ordered a $250 fine. She didn’t even show up in court.
Vet Rescues Dog Left in Hot Car at Risk to Himself
Minson is an army veteran who loves dogs. He has a service dog whom he takes along with him everywhere he goes. Minson served in the military and it seems that his oath to serve is still being honored. He proved that you do not have to be serving “in action” to be a hero.
He came across a car with the windows slightly open and with a dog locked inside. It was 80 degrees outside. Inside the car, it must’ve been 100 degrees.
It was obvious that the dog inside the vehicle was in distress. He was panting excessively. He kept trying to hide from the sun by crouching underneath the dashboard.
Minson, along with another concerned individual, called 911 to ask for help. While they waited, they gave the dog some water. He was so thirsty that he finished two bottles of water in a couple of minutes.
dog left in a hot car is at risk of heat stroke and death
When the police came, they called for assistance from the Fire Department. They had no idea how much longer it would be for the dog to get relief from the excessive heat.
This Was When Minson Could Wait No Longer
It as at this point that Minson decided to take the matter into his own hands. He told the police to charge him with a crime if necessary. However, he was no longer waiting for help.
Our hero was worried that the dog might not make it if they waited any longer for help to arrive. It was at that moment that he smashed the window to free the pup.
Thankfully, he was not charged with anything. Minson was willing to take that risk in order to save the dog’s life. Not every man would feel that way.
It would have been both ironic and unjust had he been fined. Just think of the small penalty the dog owner received for placing her dog at risk of death.
Her failure to show up for the court date indicated how little she cares for her dog. It also indicated her lack of respect for our judicial system.
Minson stated that if, for any reason, he were to leave his dog inside a hot car, he would want a kind stranger to do the same for his dog.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A DOG LEFT ALONE IN A HOT CAR:
- write down the color, make, and model of car and its license number
- call local humane society or police
- if there are businesses nearby, ask them to page the owner of the car asap
- keep an eye on the dog in case emergency action is needed to save its life
IMPORTANT FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT TEMPERATURE
- the age and health of the dog are important factors in how well they will handle extreme temperatures
- with an outside temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it only takes about 10 minutes for the car to reach 89 degrees and it will be up to 104 degrees in 30 minutes
- if it is 80 degrees outside, it will be about 99 degrees inside the car within 10 minutes and in 30 minutes, the temp will reach 114 degrees
WHAT CAN YOU LEGALLY DO TO RESCUE A DOG LEFT IN A HOT CAR?
As of June 20, 2018, according to aldf.org, only 3 of our 50 states have a Good Samaritan Law. These laws protect good citizens who break car windows to rescue dogs locked inside. They are Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Florida.
If you are in a state without a Good Samaritan Law in effect, only police enforcement or humane officers can legally break into a car to save an animal. Fines for those placing animals at such risk vary greatly from state to state.
There is an increasing number of people using Social Media to shame people who leave their dogs in locked, hot cars. Those who have so little regard for the comfort, safety, and lives of the dogs who love them so much, deserve to be embarrassed. Maybe they will rethink their actions.
Posted by Jason Minson on Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Credits: Jason Minson
Remember that a dog left inside a hot car is, potentially, a dead dog.
If you enjoyed this article, you might have an opinion regarding this one as well. https://happymutt.org/dog-was-rescued-from-hot-car-after-owner-died-in-shooting/
Sara Wilson
Thank you for this article. Still amazed at callousness and disregard folks have for humans and animals leaving them in cars when it’s obviously dangerous.
Susan Sloan
It constantly amazes me as well. It seems our society has become so self centered that if something does not directly impact them as an individual, they are very unlikely to care about what happens to others, human or animal. Thank you for your continued of Happy Mutt.