Leaving an animal in a hot car — even with a window open or for just five minutes — can land a pet owner in jail or even state prison, Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor warned Monday.
“It is never all right to leave a pet alone in a hot car — not when a window is left cracked open, not when the car is parked in the shade and not when you think you’ll be in the store for just a few minutes,” District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. “Leaving a dog alone in a hot car is a crime.”
Car temperatures can increase rapidly — by 19 degrees in 10 minutes and as many as 33 degrees in a half hour — posing an immediate threat to pets, Lacey said. With the Southland in the grip of a dangerous heat wave, deputy district attorneys who prosecute animal cruelty cases are on high alert and have trained mall security guards to be on the lookout, she said.
A state “Right to Rescue” bill allows individuals to break into a car to rescue an animal after calling law enforcement.
First-time offenders who leave an animal unattended in a vehicle can face a fine of $100. Repeat offenders can be fined $500 and sentenced to up to six months in jail.
If an animal is harmed or dies, owners can be charged with felony animal cruelty, which carries a sentence of up to three years in prison.
–City News Service