Tennessee law allows people to save dogs from hot cars
Digital Reporter
Thursday, July 9, 2015, 4:15 PM - A new law has made it possible for good Samaritans to save dogs trapped in hot cars in Tennessee.
State officials have extended Tennessee's good Samaritan law, which already allows people to break into hot cars to save children.
People will be required to search for the owner and notify the police before attempting to rescue an animal.
“If you act reasonably, as any reasonable person would respond, you will not be at fault to save a life. You will not be at any fault to save a life and/or animals,” Nashville Fire Department Chief of Staff Mike Franklin told WKRN.
The new law goes into effect this month.
Currently, there are 16 states that prohibit keeping animals in hot, unattended cars:
In May, a man in Athens, Georgia was arrested after smashing the window of a Mustang to save a dog that was trapped inside.
Michael Hammons was charged with criminal trespassing when he attempted to rescue the dog, a small Pomerian mix, while a group of witnesses were waiting for authorities to arrive to free the dog.
The dog's owner later dropped the charges, Business Insider reports.
In Canada, people who leave animals unattended in a car in a manner that risks their health and safety could be charged under a provincial SPCA act and under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Penalties include possible jail time, a lifetime ban against owning animals and up to 60,000 in fines.
Sources: WKRN | Flickr | The Globe and Mail
