No Criminal Charges for those who Rescue Pets from Hot Cars

One of the new laws signed by Governor Holcomb this week provides protection from criminal charges for anyone who rescues a pet trapped in a hot car. The rescuer must reasonably believe the animal is in imminent danger; they are required to notify law enforcement before breaking into the car; they can only use a reasonable amount of force to remove the animal; and they must stay with the animal at the scene until police arrive. The new law does require the rescuer to pay half of the cost to repair any damage caused to the vehicle unless the owner agrees to pay for it all.