Is It Legal To Break A Car Window To Save A Dog In Minnesota?
It has been a hot summer in Minnesota. If you see that someone has thoughtlessly left a dog in a hot car is it legal in Minnesota to bust the window to save the pet's life?
On a 75-degree day, the inside of a parked car can climb to 110 degrees in minutes.
On a 90-degree day, a car can get up to 130 degrees inside in 20 minutes.
Heatstroke can happen to a dog in a hot car within 15 minutes.
So if you see that some inconsiderate, thoughtless person has left a dog inside a hot car on Main Street Minnesota and you can tell the dog is in distress is it legal for you to just bust the car window out to save the pets life?
According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund different states have varying laws to save these dogs' lives.
Here is how Minnesota and some other states address breaking a car window to get a dog out of a hot car and save its life.
- Only 8 states including California, Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, and Tennessee have “Good Samaritan” laws that allow any person to break a car window to save a pet.
- In 6 of those states including California, Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin “Good Samaritans” must first contact law enforcement before breaking into the car in order for their actions to be considered legal.
- In 19 states only public officials such as law enforcement and humane officers can legally break into a car to rescue an animal. Those states are Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
- In New Jersey and West Virginia, although it is illegal to confine an animal in a hot car, no one has the authority to break into a vehicle to save the animal, not even law enforcement.
This summer we can all do better by our fur family members. Simply...DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOGS IN CARS ON SUMMER DAYS...JUST DON'T!