ca pet protection laws | Apple Valley Bail Bonds

Published June 12, 2018

Get Your Paws Out of the Heat

We love taking our furry friends out for walks and they love it when we take them places. It’s fun to take them places, and watch the get all excited to explore and meet new people. California is currently heating up with the approach of summer and as responsible pet owners, we need to be prepared.

Pets can suffer from the heat just like us. They are not immune to the Sun’s rays. In fact they are more sensitive to it than we often realize. Heatstroke and hyperthermia are not uncommon conditions for pets in the warmer months. Leaving you pet in the car in triple digit heat is a very bad idea, but so is leaving them out in the heat. Your pet could suffer from heatstroke by being left in your car too long, or going for an extensive run in the sun. According to Fetch, a dog blog, it’s too hot for dogs to be outside when temperatures reach 85 degrees. When it is in the 80s pet owners should use caution when leaving their pets outside or taking them for runs. Even at a sunny 75 degrees, some pet breeds could suffer from the heat. Large pets are at a high risk in the heat as well as are breeds that are meant for the cold.

Just walking around on a hot day can cause your pet harm. This simple fact is something we forget because we wear shoes. Pets don’t have shoes, and only have the pads on their feet to protect them. Every pet is different, and can have different tolerance level for pain. Depending on their size, breed, weight, and fitness, pets vary in their ability to withstand the heat of the ground on their paws.

Hot pavement is not your pet’s friend. We often forget about pavement, and how hot it can actually get. There is a simple test to find out if it’s too hot for your pet. If you place your palm firmly on the ground for 11 seconds without any discomfort then it is safe for your pet. If you can’t even touch the ground because it too hot, then it’s too hot for your companion. In 87-degree heat, the pavement can heat up to 143 degrees. Pavement like asphalt absorbs the heat making it extremely hot to the touch.

The best rule of the thumb for determining if it’s too hot for your pets is: if it’s too hot for you, then it is definitely too hot for them. If you wouldn’t want to be outside for a long period of time, your pets don’t want to either. If you do find yourself caught outside when the temperatures rise, make sure your pets are staying hydrated and have foot protection for them. We love summer, and our pets, so let’s enjoy them together, safely.

Published May 24, 2018

When Shouldn’t You Leave Your Pet or Child in the Car?

With the weather heating up, we need to aware of our actions. Not staying hydrated, and staying in the sunlight too long can have serious repercussions. We have to be smart in order to survive the heat. However, it’s not just about your safety this summer that you have to be concerned about. It is also the safety of your children and pets.

Every summer, everyone is constantly reminded to stay cool and drink lots of water. This is obvious to most adults, however, what about those who cannot fend for themselves? Those are the ones we have to worry about because they are often forgotten. Leaving a child or pet in a car untended can lead to their death.

Pets are constantly at our mercy. If we don’t feed them, they starve. If we neglect them and don’t groom them, they end up with matted hair and an unhealthy coat. If we leave them in a car in 100 degree weather, they will die. It doesn’t even need to be 100 degrees, it just needs to be 70 degrees. The car windows can act as a magnifying glass. Not only will the windows amplify the heat, the metal of the car will contain the heat. Even tinted windows won’t protect your pet from the heat.

Leaving your kids in a car is similar to leaving your pet in a hot car. Young kids can’t fend for themselves, and the same is for infants. They need our protection, which is why they’re not considered adults right after birth. Leaving your child unattended in a vehicle can lead to being charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

We love our pets and children. We never mean to harm them. The best way to prevent an accident is to your research and prepare. If you know you’re going to have to run into a store to pick a few items for dinner and you have your pet with you, plan on dropping your pet off at home. If you have your child with you, plan on taking them in, even if it’s just for a few items. It may be an inconvenience, but better safe than sorry.

Published July 9, 2017

When can You Break into a Car without Getting into Trouble?

Toward the end of last year, California finally made it a law to protect citizens who, in good faith and after exhausting all other options to no avail, break into hot vehicles to rescue a dog. Since the law has gone into effect, there have been few incidences where such action needed to take place. Now, summer is here and for the first time since the law went into effect, the temperatures will consistently top 70 and 80 degrees daily. This means that more dogs are vulnerable to being left alone in a hot vehicle while their owner runs an errand.

There are certain steps and conditions in order for the individual, who broke into the car, to be protected from criminal charges. This person first must be certain that there is no way of opening the vehicle without breaking in. They must identify the dog inside is indeed suffering and in danger. They must call the police to let them know of the situation, and they must stay on-site with the dog until the police arrive.

On a hot day, the temperature outside is more bearable than the inside of a vehicle. For example, on an 80 degree day, a car can get as hot as 120 degrees within 10 minutes. If it is 90 degrees outside, the car can reach 150 degrees.

While this Good Samaritan law protects individuals who break into a hot vehicles to save a pet, it does not truly protect them if they were to break into a car to save another human life, like that of a child. That is a legal grey area that California lawmakers must still work on.

Published July 2, 2017

Never Leave Someone Unattended in a Hot Car

Summer is officially here now, which means everyone will be doing their best to stay out of the heat. During this time of the year, it is extra important to remember that no child or pet should be left in a car under any circumstances. Leaving someone in a car on a warm day can put them in great danger.

If it is extremely hot outside, it will be worse inside a locked car. Cars heat up rapidly in the summer heat. Even if it is only 85 degrees outside, the interior of a car can heat up to 100 in less than 10 minutes. This can get even worse if the outside temperature is over 100 degrees. At higher temps, the inside of the car can reach 140 degrees in as little as 15 minutes.

This is why children and animals should not be left in a parked car during the summer months. They can easily suffer heatstroke and could possibly die because of it. That is something no one wants to face just because they had to run into the store for a minute.

It is also important to remember that it is illegal in California to leave a child or pet unattended in a car when it endangers the child or animal. In some instances, it is perfectly legal for a bystander to do what is necessary to get the child or pet out of the vehicle to safety.

This summer, remember to consider your child or pet when you need to run errands. You should take your kid with you into the store, even if it is only for a few minutes, and maybe it is best for you to leave your pet at home. This way, nobody is left in an inhospitable environment and everybody stays happy and safe.

Published June 11, 2017

California’s Good Samaritan Law and Pets

In California, we love our pets as much as we love our brothers and sisters, which is why we have a Good Samaritan law that makes it legal to smash a car window to save an animal. The law has been in effect for almost a year, and it is designed to protect the individual who smashed the car window from criminal charges. In order to be fully protected, the individual must remain present after smashing the window until the police arrive.

Everyone knows that a hot car is a dangerous weapon. If it is hot outside, the car is even hotter inside, and the car heats up very quickly too. Even 5 minutes inside a hot car can be deadly. For example, in 2016, on a 91 degree day in San Diego, firefighters rescued a dog from a car that was found to be 160 degrees on the inside. How did they know the inside temperature? Their thermal imaging camera.

Many other states have similar Good Samaritan laws, and some even extend their legislation to protect individuals from smashing car windows to save a human life. California does not currently have such a law, but any citizens who see a young child left alone in a hot car are encouraged to call security or the police.

It is important to remember that for the individual breaking a car window, they must stay on the scene to talk with the police. If they flee, they may lose their protection in the matter, and can be charged with vandalism.

Published April 19, 2017

You Cannot Leave Your Pet Alone in the Car

Just like leaving your young child alone in a hot car is illegal in California, so is leaving your unattended pet in a hot car. By doing this, the pet is subjected to buy zolpidem health and safety risks that include the following:

• The sweltering heat outside and inside the vehicle.
• Inadequate ventilation.
• Inadequate access to food or water.

Think about what animal cruelty and animal endangerment means. A person who puts their pet at risk by leaving them unattended in a vehicle without properly examining the situation could face a maximum $100 fine, assuming the pet did not suffer great bodily injury. However, if the pet does suffer an injury, the owner faces a misdemeanor charge that is punishable with a $500 fine and up to 6 months in jail.

Owning a pet takes as much responsibility as raising a child. To most people, a pet is their child. Proper steps and precaution must be taken at all times. So, if a person would not leave their child alone, they should not leave their pet alone. They may think that it is a convenience factor to run into the store for milk for 5 minutes while leaving the pet alone in the car, but it is not worth the risk for many reasons said above. If the store will not allow them to bring the pet in, the owner should roll down car windows or leash the pet outside in the shade.