PA:House and Senate bills aim to protect animals left in hot vehicles

Pet owners who leave their dogs or cats in a vehicle in extreme heat conditions are the targets of bills being considered by both the state House and Senate this session.House Bill 1236 relieves a police officer, humane society police officer or firefighter who enters a vehicle to rescue a dog or cat from any liability for damage caused by the rescue.The House bill mandates that the officer first “makes a reasonable effort to locate the person who owes a duty of care to the animal,” “acts under a reasonable belief that the animal is in severe physical distress” and “takes reasonable steps to ensure or restore the well-being of the animal.”Further, the officer must leave a note on the vehicle informing the owner who took the animal and where it can be retrieved.Senate Bill 636 goes further, making it a summary offense to leave a dog or cat in an unattended vehicle in “extreme heat, endangering the dog’s or the cat’s health and well-being.”A first responder may “take any action to safeguard the dog or cat, including, but not limited to, breaking into the motor vehicle to remove the dog or cat” from the vehicle, the Senate bill says. The Senate bill also relieves the first responder of liability for damage to the vehicle and requires the responder to leave a note for the owner and take the dog or cat for medical treatment.