Idaho Law – You Cannot Break Window To Save Dog In Hot Car
It's getting hot outside. With temperatures rising into the 90's and more it drives me crazy when I see people shut their dogs into vehicles and especially when they don't even crack the windows. I've always thought that in very serious circumstances you can bust out the window and save the dog but NOOOOO... you cannot. Well, I guess you can but you're breaking the law.
29 states have some kind of "hot car" law on the books which allow people to save the day when needed but Idaho is not one of those states. The Animal Legal Defense Funds state that multiple states have "hot car" bills pending but again, Idaho is not one of those.
If you feel compelled to "break the law" and save that furry little guy anyway the penalty is usually a misdemeanor or fine even if you're a repeat offender. Some states like New Hampshire will slap you with a felony if you've done this multiple times.
So, if we're not allowed to bust out man's best friend when he or she's about to keel over and die, what can we do? Here are some tips.
- Remain Calm
- Take a picture of the license plate with your phone
- Call local authorities
- Stay with the animal...never leave the vehicle.
- Ask someone to get water (in the event first responders get the dog out and you can start cooling the dog)