Illegal to Leave Pets In Hot, Unattended Vehicles

Julie Brown-Patton, editor of the Eureka-Wildwood Patch, walked out to her car after a recent meeting at Barnes & Noble in Crestwood and found a Maltese dog left unattended in the car next to hers. It was 86 degrees and the car was parked in the sun.

Patton shook her head and drove away, but out of concern for the dog, she turned around and drove back to the store. The dog was still there panting, sitting alone in the driver's seat. The owner had still not come out. Meanwhile, another customer pulled up and he and Patton waited to no avail. Finally, the other driver went into the store to talk to the manager and try and find the owner. The owner eventually came out and drove away.

In Crestwood, a situation like this is considered animal cruelty, said Nancy Hunt, Crestwood's animal control officer. Animals shouldn't be left unattended in temperatures over 70 degrees.

"The inside of a car can heat up by 25 to 30 degrees in a short time and can be life-threatening to an animal," she said. "And animals should never be left in a car with the air conditioning running because they can turn it off."

Hunt said the first thing one should do if they happen upon an animal unattended in a vehicle is to call her office or the police immediately. 

"First we'll page the owner if we believe they are in a store," she said. "If we can't find the owner and see that the animal is in distress, we'll call police to pop the door."

Hunt said a warning is usually issued on the first offense, but depending on the situation, an animal cruelty ticket may also be issued. 

It is also illegal to leave a pet in a hot, unattended vehicle in Sunset Hills, said David Knight, a spokesman for the Sunset Hills Police Department. 

"If deemed necessary, we'll cite the owner as being in violation of our cruelty to animals ordinance," he said. "When we do get those calls, we are typically able to locate the owner and most say: 'We were just going to be in there for a minute.'"

If officers can't find the owner, they must gain access to the vehicle, Knight said. But that rarely happens.

If you find an animal in a hot, unattended vehicle in Crestwood, call the Crestwood Animal Control Office at 314-729-4868. After 4:30 p.m., call the Crestwood police at 314-729-4800. In Sunset Hills, call the police at 314-849-4800.

See related stories:

Never Leave Pets in Vehicles When Temperatures Are 70 or Higher

'Dog Days Of Summer' Kill Dogs