So far during Summer of 2014 21 children and twice as many dogs have been killed by being locked in a parked car. Temperatures do not have to be high double to triple digits for their to be a problem either... researchers have proven that when it's just a sunny 78 degrees, the temperature in a parked car with windows cracked rises at least 32 degrees in 30 minutes. So: 78 degrees to 110 in half an hour. On a severely hot day it can take only a matter of 5 mins for an infant or an animal to have organ damage, less than 10 mins to cause death. When someone sees a child or a dog trapped and suffering in a hot car, they usually dial 911 and then depending on how overheated the child/dog is, they may break the window to get them out if it appeared they wouldn't make it until police arrived. BUT...here's the problem....not all states have laws protecting citizens who heroically bust out windows, if they cars owner complains about the damage..There are only 14 states that have laws against leaving pets locked inside a parked car. There are only 19 states that have laws against leaving a child under the age of fourteen alone in a parked car....this is insane as well as scary. So, technically a citizen is only protected from being sued or arrested in one of the states that has a law. Otherwise you are supposed to call 911 and wait for the authorities to arrive. This is crazy, potentially deadly and also stressful for the citizen trying to help. We need a law to protect that citizen and allow them to save the life of the child or dog and have the law valid all across the country. The law should be there to protect the innocent victim and ALSO the civilian that becomes their hero and saves their life...not to cause financial hardship and/or jail time for them and making the person that placed the child/dog at risk victorious. Curretly a Washington state couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Linnell are facing possible charges for breaking a window to rescue a dog locked in a plastic kennel inside of a locked car. This is wrong and needs to be rectified.
