{"id":372,"date":"2015-07-06T08:15:47","date_gmt":"2015-07-06T12:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.etags.com\/blog\/?p=372"},"modified":"2026-01-08T13:21:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T13:21:08","slug":"pets-in-hot-cars-keep-it-cool-for-pets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etags.com\/blog\/pets-in-hot-cars-keep-it-cool-for-pets\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep It Cool for Pets \u2013 Don\u2019t Leave Them in a Hot Car"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year, pets all over the country suffer from unnecessary injury and even death, much of it unreported, from being left in hot vehicles by their owners. While many of the tragedies associated with children being left in hot cars<\/a> are accidental, that is not usually the case when it comes to pets. Many pet owners only intend to run \u201cquick\u201d errands and assume leaving their extended family in the car for a few minutes is ok. Not only is this cruel and inhumane, in many states, it\u2019s illegal.<\/p>\n

Currently, there are 24*\u00a0states that have established laws prohibiting owners from leaving their pets unattended in locked vehicles or ones that provide protections for individuals who rescue animals from unattended, locked vehicles.. These states include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
California<\/td>\nNevada<\/td>\nArizona<\/td>\nIllinois<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maine<\/td>\nMaryland<\/td>\nMinnesota<\/td>\nNorth Carolina<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Hampshire<\/td>\nNew Jersey<\/td>\nNew York<\/td>\nNorth Dakota<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rhoda Island<\/td>\nSouth Dakota<\/td>\nVermont<\/td>\nWest Virginia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tennessee<\/td>\nDelaware<\/td>\nFlorida<\/td>\nMassachusetts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ohio<\/td>\nVirginia<\/td>\nWashington<\/td>\nWisconsin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
*Updated April 2017<\/em><\/pre>\n
The laws imposed by these states as well as the penalties for violating them will vary by state<\/a>. For example, in Arizona, you will receive a Class 1 misdemeanor charge. In Maryland, you will receive a $700 fine while in Minnesota, the fine is only $25. While 34 states lack to implement and enforce any laws protecting pets trapped in vehicles, you could still face pet cruelty charges in those states if you\u2019re reported.<\/p>\n
UPDATE 7\/14\/15<\/strong> – Tennessee is the very first state in the nation to implement legislation that grants immunity from civil liability to individuals who break-in to a parked park with an child or animal locked inside. Yay, Tennessee! Broad\u00a0procedures\u00a0must be followed which include\u00a0determining\u00a0their is no other viable form of entry (checking for unlocked doors), assessing that the child or animal\u00a0is actually in imminent danger, calling law\u00a0enforcement\u00a0advising them of your intent\u00a0to break-in prior to doing so and seeking counsel as is reasonable given the situation, and staying at or near the scene (or leaving a note on the car and\u00a0remaining\u00a0within a\u00a0reasonable distance) after the rescue attempt until law\u00a0enforcement\u00a0arrives.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
UPDATE 7\/17\/15<\/strong> – Petitions on change.org have been created to promote the passing of\u00a0similar laws as those recently passed in\u00a0Tennessee, providing protection for pets left in cars AND immunity from civil liability for their civilian rescuers. Support these petitions in Florida<\/a> and Texas<\/a>, regardless of where you live, in order to get legislation passed in both of these states and promote all other states to follow suit.<\/em><\/p>\n
How Hot Can a Car Get?<\/h1>\n
On a pleasant 70 degree day, the inside of a vehicle can reach a temperature of 102 degrees in just 30 minutes! Even if you leave the windows cracked a couple inches or you park under a shady tree, your car can still become hotter than is safe for your pet. The chart below shows the progression of heat in a vehicle.<\/p>\n
 <\/p>\n
When pets are left in a hot vehicle, the biggest risk is hyper<\/em>thermia, also known as overheating. It only takes 15 minutes<\/a> for your pet to experience hyperthermia which can quickly lead to death. Animals that are most vulnerable to hyperthermia include:<\/p>\n