Can You Legally Break a Car Window to Save a Dog on a Hot Minnesota Day?
It's starting to get hot out there, summer has finally made it to Minnesota! While many of us Minnesotans appreciate the heat, our furry friends need to be checked on more often. But what happens when you see a dog (or cat, etc.) alone in a car on a hot day? Can you break the window to save the dog?
Caring for Your Dog on a Hot Summer Day
If you're a dog owner, there are lots of things you can do to keep your dog comfortable in the hot summer weather.
According to Medivet, here are some of the steps you can take:
Adjust your walking routine. Don't take them as far as usual, especially on an extra hot day.
Make sure to keep them hydrated, provide plenty of water.
Give them shady spots to relax.
Have some fun with them splashing in a pool!
Can You Legally Break a Car Window to Save a Dog?
So what do you do if you're out and about and see a dog trapped in a hot car? According to Minnesota Statute 346.57, Subdivision 2, it is, unfortunately, illegal for us to break a car window to save a dog, cat, etc. in Minnesota from a hot car.
If you do see an animal trapped in a hot car, these are the people that ARE legally allowed to rescue the animal: law enforcement, a humane agent, a dog warden, or a firefighter/rescue department member. Only those people are allowed to "use reasonable force to enter a motor vehicle and remove a dog or cat which has been left in the vehicle".