Leaving dogs in cars

[CruiserClass]

I've been getting a few "dogs in cars" dispatches lately, normally outside of a restaurant or grocery store. Oddly enough the callers are concerned enough to make it my problem but not concerned enough to wait around for me to respond...

That said, I normally have something more pressing to do and by the time I get there the rascally dog owner has returned to the car and left. Animal control is so thinly spread that getting them to respond is only slightly more likely than the mayor himself coming out with a slim jim and pocket of doggie treats.

I haven't found anything in the IC code that would make this practice illegal, since the cruelty to vertebrate animals requires beating, not just neglect. I figured Animal Control has a neglect ticket or something, but in the event that I did have a poor parched poochie in a parked Pontiac, is there an IC statute to cover this? How do you respond to animal in the car runs (or do you...)?

[Ten Six]

I know of no I.C. code. We respond but call A.C., if there is a problem. 99.9% of the time the dog is not in distress and the caller is throwing a fit about nothing. The few times I know of a call to be legitimate, we Slim Jim'd the door and opened it. I don't know of anyone that has actually broken into a car to extract a dog.

[indy256]

Check out the municipal codes regarding treatment of animals:

http://www.municode.com/resources/ga...d=14&pid=12016

I would consider codes 531-401 and 531-402 applicable in this case.

[CruiserClass]

401, maybe. 402, doubt it. Leaving an animal unattended while you shop or eat or buy puppy a delicious burger isn't abandonment.

[Munky]

If there are laws against it, wouldn't K9 units have to follow them as well? I know that if the cruiser is on that if it gets too warm in the car it'll automatically roll down the windows in the back and turn a fan on that's on the window, but that only does so much. Just wasn't sure if K9 units had to follow same laws regarding leaving animals in cars.

[indy256]

If there are laws against it, wouldn't K9 units have to follow them as well? I know that if the cruiser is on that if it gets too warm in the car it'll automatically roll down the windows in the back and turn a fan on that's on the window, but that only does so much. Just wasn't sure if K9 units had to follow same laws regarding leaving animals in cars.

K9 units have to follow very specific rules about leaving dogs in the car. They can only be left in the car for a specific period of time. Additionally, if the temperature reaches a certain level there is an alarm that goes off informing the officer so he/she can turn the AC on. K9 officers can often be seen with their cars running and their hoods up (so the car does not overheat).

[Munky]

Yeah I see quite a few of them when they come down to the shop that leave their cars running. I never thought about asking them about leaving their dogs in the cars.

[LT_Corrections]

As an ACO, I hope this helps you all.... remember to also check your town, city and county ordinances.


Sec. 531-207. Domestic animals in vehicles.
(a) It shall be unlawful to leave a domestic animal unattended in a vehicle when the conditions in that vehicle would constitute a health hazard to the animal.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any dog or cat to ride in the bed of a pickup truck on public streets, highways and/or rights-of-way unless the animal is securely caged and protected from the environment or unless the bed of the pickup truck is enclosed with a camper shell or other device and there is appropriate and sufficient ventilation.

[CruiserClass]

There we go. Thanks LT.

BTW, are you guys getting your dart guns back or not? I had an ACO a couple of months ago say they took them from everyone but 3 and the rest were going to have to go do some sort of training class.