I was at Walmart one 42 and when I walked out I heard dogs barking, So I rode by the car I thought it was coming from and there were 2 small long haired dogs.. Yes the windows were cracked but only about a inch or 2. So I called the law and waited from them to get there or the person to come out first. Well the cop made it first " Call placed at 1:30pm" A walmart worker was in the parking lot and asked if we wanted us to have the person paged and the cop said yes. She came rushing out.. Cussed me.. "Tried" to tell me to leave and I said NOPE this is a public parking lot you can't make me do anything. Went on to tell me she rescue dogs... I told her I didn't care about her I cared about the dogs.. This is how dumb she was.. She LOOKED at the cop and asked him to call the law cause I was harassing her.. The cop held his hands up and said well that's why I'm here, I am the law. She is doing nothing wrong like she said this is a public parking lot and I am standing right here with her and you so it would not be harassing. She also asked the cop if she rolled the windows down more would he sit with them. He told her he had pending calls and he couldn't. She asked him again and I said, " He told you he had pending calls so he can not babysit your dogs. If they need a babysitter you should have left them at home." Anyways she went back in Walmart to pay for her stuff and I left. I was so mad I was shaking. I can't stand people who think they did no wrong.
I completely agree!!! Someone must have left her sitting in a hot a car too long when she was a kid and got her brain fried!
I call the police all the time when I see dogs in cars. the last time, Walmart was really rude to me when I asked them to page the person. Of course, the cops pull up AS the lady is pulling away. They wouldn't do anything because they "didn't see it themselves" I have since found out it is not illegal to bust out a window for a baby/child (duh!) OR an animal locked in a hot car in NC. Fair warning to anyone who leaves their animal in a hot car, I WILL bust a window open.
well apparently this wasn't that big a deal, if cop didn't cite her and she went back into store and finished up her shopping.
Ginger, could you link to whatever legal statute you're citing that you think enables you to break someone's window because of an animal inside? Currently it is not illegal in NC to leave a pet locked in a hot car, with or without the windows open. House Bill 612 has passed the Senate but is not yet law in NC. This would be the Bill that would give law enforcement the authority to take action to free pets that are locked in vehicles when it’s hot enough that the animal’s health is threatened. Under the proposed legislation, those suspected of the crime would face a class 2 misdemeanor; or a class 1 misdemeanor if the pet dies. Currently, Rep. Harrison, who sponsored the bill, says there’s not much officers can do to help animals that are trapped in hot vehicles. "As of now any emergency responder called has no legal authority to break a window to save the pet." http://blogs.fayobserver.com/910pets/April-2013/House-bill-would-allow-rescue-of-pet-in-hot-cars Also, even if it passes, the act would not become affective until December 1, 2013, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date. http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2013/Bills/House/PDF/H612v0.pdf So, in answer to the original poster, while it might be morally offensive to leave an animal in a car on a hot day, it is not illegal. The woman was legally doing nothing wrong and thus was understandably upset that the police were called on her when she was not breaking any laws.
It might not be illegal but it is wrong. Well it is in my eyes. How bout someone leave her in a hot car with the windows only cracked an inch, and let's add fur to her too. SMH Glad to see some on here agree with me. As for the cop not doing anything is cause the windows were cracked. Calling the lady out of the store was to check the dogs cause they were barking, hassling, and pawing to get out. I'm going to buy a Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Targeting so I can tell what the temp is inside the car.
I'm convinced that legislators create bills addressing things that are already illegal, just to put their names in the news. Leaving an animal in a hot car (intentionally torturing and depriving of necessary sustenance -- water) has already been illegal for as long as I can remember. And further, it's already a class 1 misdemeanor, which is more serious than the class 2 he's proposing; and it's already a felony if the animal dies. As for emergency responders being able to break a window to save the animal, I doubt there has to be a specific law allowing this, because it's always been done without problems. Similarly, I'm not aware of a law that specifically says firefighters can break down your door to put out a fire, but it happens every day and it's not illegal.
There is nothing in the statute quoted which could easily be applied to the case in question, which is why there is the need for a specific legislation to cover it. If the car was on fire anyone could break the window to remove a pet to safety because there is a clear and present danger that is not the case with leaving one in a car unattended. Yes, both can result in death of the pet, but the fire is imminent danger and the heat is a danger at some point in the future if nothing else happens. Thus, any LEO will have to weigh the case very carefully before acting to ensure there is no violation on their part. Any individual breaking out a window with or without a clear imminent threat may also be charged with one or more crimes relating to their actions. http://www.wral.com/house-bill-would-allow-rescue-of-pets-in-hot-cars/12318897/ Under current law, emergency responders called to help an animal in distress locked in a hot car have no legal authority to break a window or take other action to save the pet. All they can do is search for the pet's owner – a time-consuming task that can mean the difference between life or death for the trapped animal.
Actually, there is a law that gives firemen the authority to break down your door to put out a fire. It's covered in Chapter 58.
<shrug> I thought the current statute covered the situation given perfectly. Like all laws, they are subject to interpretation, I suppose.
I don't even care what the law says. If I see an animal or kid in obvious distress inside of someone's hot car, that window is history and I will deal with the consequences afterwards. There are some things common sense ought to cover, but obviously not and some of the responses in this thread are perfect examples. Screw that nonsense.
As long as you know there may be consequences, that is fine, but if someone thinks there will be none they may be unpleasently surprised. In such a situation, I think I would pay for a window myself, but I would be going in knowing that is probably the least of the possible outcomes.
The access to remove property without legal authority is the sticking point. Without a warrant or an imminent danger situation, the only legal alternative is to wait to get the owner's permission. The definition of locking a pet in a hot car as torture is not established as a precedent to my knowledge. There have been cases brought for abuse in such an instance, but after hours of confinement and not widespread. The new law makes it more clear and gives specific authority to act in the best interest of the animal rather than just punish the owner.
here's an idea, make it a law that automakers have to install in a place very hard to remove from (like they do the VIN numbers) a thermometer that reads the internal temperature of the vehicle. Perhaps it just changes color to RED. If the vehicle (non running) registers more than a set standard, ANYONE can bust a window for a pet or human sitting inside. The operator of the vehicle is cited, and everyone walks away. I don't like Pets or People being left in any vehicle
Wag your finger at someone else. I'm quite adamant that I WOULD break a window to save an animal or a kid. I thought that it was clear from my post that I AM aware there may be consequences. I'm not afraid to take on an idiot, I would GLADLY do it. 8)
