Gov. Brown signs bill allowing people to break into cars to rescue animals from heat

[RandySF]

Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday signed into law a measure allowing Californians to break into vehicles to rescue animals if they appear to be in danger from excessive heat

The bill by Assemblyman Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga), Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and others was introduced after a series of incidents in which dogs died after being left in closed cars on hot days.

"We're very excited about the lives this new law will save," Steinorth said in a statement Saturday on Facebook. "Thank you to everyone who helped us raise awareness of this serious issue and showed their support."

Under AB 797, a citizen must first call law enforcement to report a situation in which he or she believes an animal to be in peril.

But if the animal is in imminent danger, the car is locked, and law enforcement is not arriving quickly enough to save the animal’s life, the bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability to a person causing vehicle damage for the purpose of rescuing the animal. The measure was supported by the Humane Society of the United States and the Los Angeles district attorney's office.


http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-updates-gov-brown-signs-bill-allowing-people-1474753773-htmlstory.html

[Dracaena]

1. This is great!!

Here is hoping it spreads to other states!

[canetoad]

2. K&R

No brainer.

[TheFrenchRazor]

3. good; those kind of dirtbags will care more about their cars than their pets. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

4. Cujo II....

This time it's in the Walmart parking lot.

[HockeyMom]

5. Great, but

can you do that for children too? How many times have we heard of babies being forgotten in cars?

[lindysalsagal]

6. Um....

My dog always wanted to come along. If they're not there long, they're happier than being left home.

Not sure the government should write a law like this. I think a long-term case for animal neglect is sufficient.

[csziggy]

7. You do realize it only takes minutes for the temperature to become life threatening?

Pets in Vehicles

Every year, hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles. We've heard the excuses: "Oh, it will just be a few minutes while I go into the store," or "But I cracked the windows..." These excuses don't amount to much if your pet becomes seriously ill or dies from being left in a vehicle.

The temperature inside your vehicle can rise almost 20º F in just 10 minutes. In 20 minutes, it can rise almost 30º F...and the longer you wait, the higher it goes. At 60 minutes, the temperature in your vehicle can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Even on a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside your vehicle!

Your vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts your pet at risk of serious illness and even death, even on a day that doesn't seem hot to you. And cracking the windows makes no difference.

Want numbers? An independent study showed that the interior temperature of vehicles parked in outside temperatures ranging from 72 to 96º F rose steadily as time increased. Another study​, performed by the Louisiana Office of Public Health, found that the temperatures in a dark sedan as well as a light gray minivan parked on a hot, but partly cloudy day, exceeded 125oF within 20 minutes.

https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/pets-in-vehicles.aspx

If you love your dog, please don't put it at risk by leaving it in an unattended vehicle.

[lindysalsagal]

9. Depending on the situation, possibly not. And, do the police really want this job?

It would have to be a sleepy, quiet rural town that had the staffing for that. My town in the northeast doesn't.

Of course I think dogs should be treated well, but putting this kind of vigilante law into the hands of citizens might become impossible real fast.

[csziggy]

11. The law discussed in the OP is so CITIZENS can break a window to save a pet's life

Quoted in the OP:

Under AB 797, a citizen must first call law enforcement to report a situation in which he or she believes an animal to be in peril.

But if the animal is in imminent danger, the car is locked, and law enforcement is not arriving quickly enough to save the animal’s life, the bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability to a person causing vehicle damage for the purpose of rescuing the animal. The measure was supported by the Humane Society of the United States and the Los Angeles district attorney's office.

That's not vigilante, that is indemnifying the people that do this when idiots leave their pets in cars to cook.

The link I posted above had a chart showing the conditions under which a car will heat to dangerous levels. It doesn't take much. I live in Florida - most of the year it is dangerous to leave a pet inside a closed car, or one with the windows cracked. But stupid people still do it and pets still die.

[Brother Buzz]

8. Um....

I would be a lawbreaker faster then you could spit if I saw an animal in a vehicle on a hot day with the windows rolled up. That's just the way I roll. Now I can do it without any repercussions.

[undergroundpanther]

10. That dog or cat

Roasting in that car would be outta there drinking cool water in the shade asap.Fuck the car.
I hope Maryland makes a law like this. Those who are ignorant shitheads will learn real fast a life even a dog or cat's life is worth more than a fucking car. About time.

[ailsagirl]

12. Fantastic!!

I love our governor!!!