KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Santa Clarita deputies helped rescue another dog trapped in a car Tuesday, for the second time in two days.
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About a dozen onlookers gathered around a silver, two-door Mercedes coupe in the Costco parking lot around 11:30 a.m., as the temperature approached 100 degrees.
As KHTS News arrived, shortly after the call went out on the police scanner, the dog already had been rescued, and deputies were handcuffing the vehicle’s owner, who became irate after learning his window was smashed.
A law passed last year by the state’s Legislature authorizes people to smash a window if they observe a pet trapped in a hot car.
Related story: Brown Signs ‘Hot Dog Bill’ To Protect Trapped Pets
The law furthers existing legislation enacted in 2006, which makes it illegal to leave a pet in a hot car. Current law allows for a peace officer or a first-responder “to take all steps reasonably necessary to remove an animal from a motor vehicle because the animal’s safety appears to be in immediate danger.”
The new law expanded the authorization to an average person, exempting them from “criminal liability for actions taken reasonably and in good faith to remove an animal from a vehicle under the circumstances (of it being trapped in a hot car), providing the person is “immediately turning the animal over to a representative from law enforcement, animal control, or other emergency responder who responds to the scene.”
The residents who noticed the dog waited about five minutes to see if the person was coming back soon, and when they didn’t, the person called 911.
Deputies were on scene quickly and smashed the window in order to rescue the dog, a shih-tzu, which was panting heavily.
The incident, which resulted in a misdemeanor citation and a confiscation of the pet, is the second such call for the Sheriff’s Station in as many days.
The owner was cited for a violation of California Penal Code Section 597.7, which prohibits people from leaving a pet locked in a car that would create an otherwise unsafe situation for the animal.
Sheriff’s Station officials confiscated the dog, who was then surrendered to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.
Animal Care and Control officials said the pet owner would have to come to the shelter to claim their animal, pay any fees incurred while caring for the animal and the provide assurances to the Animal Care and Control office that they will provide proper care going forward.
If the situation happens a second time, then the last part could prove difficult for the pet owner, according to Animal Care and Control officials. A pet could be impounded for repeat offenses, and if the owner then desired, they could file for a hearing to attempt to get their pet back.
WHATS WRONG WITH PEOPLE TO DO THAT?
I think they should leave these people in their hot cars while they look up the applicable laws, call for backup have some coffee, update their Facebook status… and then arrest them. However long the pet or child is left in the hot car is how long they should be left in the same car.
A routine punishment in some departments…
He or she should be locked in a hot car, to suffer! People suck!!!
Good! Stupid people who leave dogs in hot cars should not be allowed to have a pet. Anyone who takes their dog out on a hot day should think before acting. If the temperature is above 70 degrees, LEAVE THE DOG HOME! If you love your pet as much as you say you do, don’t take it with you. Don’t fry your pet’s brain and kill it! Use the smarts God gave you, at least if you have any!
I was there and the family, with 2 young children, were clueless. I heard the husband say the window was down. However, according to sheriff’s the window was down about 1/2 inch and the black car, with tinted windows was sitting in the sun. The temperature was 100 degrees. According to Costco video, the family entered at 10:40 and 30 minutes they returned to find the Sheriff’s had broken their window. Sadly, the man was more concerned with the window than the dog, and the children had to witness the man’s temper. Not only was the dog at risk for death, but the children were traumatized by the father’s uncontrollable behavior. Very sad event. Further, the mother verbally abused the witnesses. Clearly, these parents need help.
One more thing, after the man was handcuffed and the officer tried to put him in the patrol car, the man started claiming he could not bind his knee as he had neck surgery recently. The man was yelling so much that the children were crying and hysterical, “Daddy stop it!” “Daddy calm down”…from 2 children under 10 year of age. I expect this man will try to claim officer abuse, however, I taped the event and as a correctional nurse, social worker, and certified domestic abuse counselor, I saw no abuse.
LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I BELIEVE THE NAME OF THE OFFENDER SHOULD ALSO BE POSTED. THIS IS SIMPLY DESPICABLE.
Pets are privileges not toys. I am happy that the dog was okay especially with all that hair. I hope that the owner doesn’t get his dog back and that it goes to a good home. With the way he neglects his dog, he was probably more upset over his broken window than he was about his dog being taken. I wonder how he would feel if he were the one locked in the car.
I’m guessing they didn’t do very well in science. Idiots. Sorry, but I have no tolerance for people who have NO compassion.
Or brain cells, for that matter.
Yeah, you gotta wonder what they were thinking! I love that the law now extends to the average person who sees these idiots who have left their pet in a hot car to first call police, then break the window themselves to release the animal, and then wait for law enforcement to arrive and take care of it! Obviously, some people don’t deserve to own a pet at all!! ????
I DON’T LIKE TO “PILE ON” BUT I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE BROKEN EVERY WINDOW IN CAR SO HE WOULD HAVE NO A/C UNTIL HE GOT THE CAR FIXED. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR HIM EXPLAIN THE DAMAGE TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
Love your idea!!
The owner should be identified in a follow-up article and the dog should never be returned to this knucklehead.
Please lock the car with the idiots in car. I wonder how they care for the furry baby at home. Probably have it in yard not able to come in house. Oh ya he has shade and water. Hot water. Pets should be in house with the rest of family. Freaken asses.
Sick and tired of these people. Glad the law was passed. Lock them in the car with no one to call for help. Ignorant people.
Thanks to the concerned people who called the Sheriffs on behalf of this poor dog. And thanks to the Sheriffs who responded quickly and took action. Pets should be left at home in this heat, where they are safe and cooler.
They should lock that bastard in a closed car and see them react. People don’t think or don’t care. Selfish people.
I know I’m echoing what a lot of other people have written but I have to say it, HOW STUPID AND UNCARING CAN PEOPLE BE TO LEAVE A LIVING, BREATHING CREATURE LOCKED IN A CAR ESPECIALLY ON A HOT DAY, EVEN FOR ONE MINUTE!!! The punishment for doing this should be for the perpetrator to be locked in their car, in the sun, windows up long enough for him/her to cry for mercy. A citation isn’t anywhere enough punishment.
I heard the car was running with the air conditioner on and the dog was panting because he just got done playing ball at the park!!
I guess next time he’ll take a Shih Tzu in the trunk when no one is looking.
People bring dogs into stores all the time now, one wonders why the family didn’t bring the dog in with them. (Or be sensible and leave the dog at home if they know they will be shopping.)