Can You Break into a Hot Car to Save a Pet in Texas?

(Tyler, Texas) - Things have been pretty mild so far but we know what's coming, the oven that is summer in East Texas. It'll be 95° with a 100% humidity which will make us feel like we put on clothes after a shower without drying off. It WILL be hot.

That also means that the temperatures inside of our car or truck will get dangerously hot. Every summer the warnings go out but we still hear a story or two of a child or an elderly person dying because they were left in a hot vehicle. There is law in Texas about what to do if you see a pet or another person locked in a hot car.

It Doesn't Take Long for a Vehicle to Heat Up

We hear the warnings every summer about leaving our children or our pets in a locked car. It can quickly become dangerously hot in that vehicle. It doesn't have to be 90° outside to heat your car up to dangerous levels, either. Take a look at the graph below:

noheatstroke.org

Even on a 70° day, the inside of your car can reach a temperature of 113° within an hour.

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Can You Legally Smash a Window to Rescue a Pet of Child?

In Texas, there is no law that says it's illegal to smash a car window to rescue a child or an animal from a hot vehicle. Having said that, you could be charged with animal cruelty or child endangerment if something were to happen to that child or animal you wanted to rescue. Texas does have a so-called Good Samaritan Act that says:

a person who in good faith administers emergency care is not liable in civil damages for an act performed during the emergency unless the act is willfully or wantonly negligent.

However, this law DOES NOT give you a free pass to smash a car window. That would be the job of a law enforcement officer. There are some steps to take before calling them.

What to Do if You Feel an Animal or Child is in Danger in a Hot Car

Write down the car's make, model and license plate number and take that information to the manager of the store the car is parked at. Let them call the owner over their intercom system to come to the front of the store. If the owner doesn't come forward, call the non-emergency number of your local police or animal control and let them handle the situation from there.

Better yet, how 'bout not bringing your pet with you if you plan on leaving them in a hot vehicle? This Texas heat is no joke and can kill our beloved pet or our own child in a matter of minutes. Despite all these warnings not to do it, we'll still hear of a tragic story of a child or animal dying because they were left in a locked vehicle that essentially turns into an oven.