New Arizona Law Aims to Protect Children, Pets in Hot Cars

By Daniel Perle
Published: Tuesday, August 8, 2017 - 5:15pm
Updated: Wednesday, August 9, 2017 - 8:41am

Arizona House Bill 2494 sets new rules when it comes to freeing kids and pets trapped in hot cars.

The new law provides legal protection for individuals breaking into a vehicle if an animal or child inside is in danger.

Bretta Nelson with the Arizona Humane Society helped lobby for the law and said it clears up a legal gray area.

“One of the top questions we would get as an animal welfare organization is people asking us in the summer months, 'What can we legally do if we see an animal left in a hot car?’ And the answer really wasn’t black and white; it was really hard to give people advice on how to handle a situation like that,” Nelson said.

The new law states that if a person provides help, he or she must call 911 and stay with the child or animal until authorities arrive.