Even if it’s just for a moment, and even if the windows are cracked—it is never safe to leave an animal in a parked vehicle alone.
Don’t let an excuse cost an animal its life. Not only can leaving an animal in a hot car lead to a fatal heatstroke, but it is also illegal in several states.
According to the ASPCA, 28 states have laws concerning companion animals left unattended in parked vehicles under dangerous conditions, such as intense weather conditions.
Some of these laws involve legal action against the vehicle owner, while other laws provide immunity to those who may use forcible means—such as smashing a window—to rescue a vulnerable animal in a car.
In Sarasota, that’s exactly what happened.
Watch as a Sarasota Police Officer saves a dog that the owner had locked in the car on University Parkway. Police say the temperature in the car was 115 degrees.