Leaving a dog in a hot car is illegal in California. Can you break into help?
As temperatures tick up across California, pet owners could be putting their animal companions in danger.
Temperatures inside a car can rise quickly on a hot day, leaving dogs, cats and other animals at risk of heat stroke or death if left alone without adequate airflow.
Temperatures across Northern California are expected to reach the 90s over the next few days in an unseasonable March heat wave, according to the National Weather Service.
Is it illegal to leave your pet locked inside a vehicle on a warm summer day? Are you allowed to break into a car to free an animal in trouble?
Here’s what to know:
Is it illegal to leave a dog in a locked car?
In California, it’s against the law to leave or confine any animal — including a dog, cat, bird, guinea pig or rabbit — alone in a car if it’s too hot and the animal could be in danger.
The same rule applies to temperatures that are too cold, as well as vehicle conditions that lack proper ventilation, food, water or any other circumstance that causes the animal “suffering, disability or death,” California’s Penal Code says.
What are penalties for leaving a pet in a hot car?
Leaving a dog or another animal in a hot car is considered malicious mischief, according to California’s Penal Code.
It’s a misdemeanor offense.
First-time violators could receive a fine of up to $100 per animal if the pet does not suffer “great bodily injury,” according to California law.
Pet owners face a maximum fine of $500 and up to six months in county jail if the pet dies or sustains a significant physical injury while left unattended in the vehicle.
Can I break into a vehicle to help a trapped animal?
If you witness a pet stuck in an empty car under conditions that could endanger their health, it’s your legal right to step in and help them.
As long as you have a “reasonable belief that the animal’s safety is in immediate danger,” you are allowed to break into the vehicle and remove the animal, according to California law.
Under California law, you won’t be held criminally liable for removing an animal from a vehicle if you:
- Determined the car was locked
- Believed forcible entry into the vehicle was necessary because the animal was suffering or in “imminent danger”
- Contacted law enforcement, the fire department, emergency services or animal control before breaking into the car
- Used no more force than necessary to retrieve the animal from the vehicle
- Stayed with the animal in a safe location until law enforcement or emergency responders arrived
- Immediately handed the animal over to authorities or animal control when they arrived at the scene
How hot is too hot for dogs?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, outside temperatures of around 70 degrees can heat the inside of a car to more than 110 degrees within an hour.
Even after 10 minutes, the temperature inside a car can rise about 20 degrees higher than the outside temperature, the association said.
Dogs start to experience heat exhaustion when their body temperature is above 101.5 degrees and suffer from heat stroke when their internal temperature is higher than 105 degrees, according to the American Kennel Club.
“Heat stroke usually occurs when high ambient temperature overcomes the dog’s ability to dissipate heat,” Jerry Klein, the chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club, said on the club’s website. “The degree of damage is determined by how high a body temperature is reached and how long the animal is exposed.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised pet owners to never leave animals in a parked car.
“Leaving a window open is not enough,” the federal public health agency said.
Does my car’s ‘pet comfort’ mode really work?
Some vehicles — including many electric cars — have modes that allow you to keep your car cool while you’re not in it. However, these modes are not recommended for long periods of time.
For example, Tesla owners can control the inside of their car’s temperatures with an app.
According to the electric vehicle company, the Tesla Model S’s “dog” function maintains a comfortable cabin temperature for pets while left alone inside the car. The mode is also available in Tesla Cybertrucks.
When in dog mode, the car’s touchscreen displays the inside temperature to inform passers-by that the pet is safe.
The setting should only be used for short periods of time while the pet owner is close by, according to Tesla.
Electric vehicles manufactured by Rivian have a similar feature.
Rivian’s “pet comfort” mode allows owners to set their car or truck’s inside temperature between 68 degrees and 74 degrees.
People passing by the Rivian vehicle can see a message that the pet is safe and comfortable inside.
What are common symptoms of heat stroke in dogs?
Dogs don’t sweat across their entire body like humans because their bodies are covered in fur.
Instead, they sweat mainly through merocrine glands located in their paw pads, according to the American Kennel Club.
Dogs also pant to regulate their body temperature. However, none of these bodily functions are as effective in cooling dogs down as sweating is for humans.
“Heat stroke is a serious concern for all dogs,” the club wrote on its website, especially those with short noses and flat faces.
Obese dogs and animals with dark coats are also at a higher risk of stroke.
The signs of heat stroke in dogs include:
- Dehydration
- Body temperature higher than 105.8 degrees
- Feeling warm to the touch
- Bright red gums
- Rapid or irregular heart rate
- Muscle tremors
- Lack of coordination
You should also look out for the following symptoms:
- Unconsciousness
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Excessive drooling
- Heavy, frantic panting
What are heat illness symptoms for cats?
Cats are less likely to get heat stroke, but they can still get sick if they’re in hot temperatures for too long.
Cat owners should seek out medical care immediately for heat illness if their pet’s temperature rises above 105 degrees, according to Animerge, an emergency veterinary clinic.
Here are commons symptoms of heat stroke in cats:
- Drooling
- Excessive panting and grooming
- Muscle tremors and seizures
- Vomiting
- Uncoordinated movement and loss of balance
- Sweaty paws.
