California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 797, which will protect Good Samaritans who take necessary action to save an animal from a hot car.
Courtney Fern, California state director for The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement:
“Every year, thousands of pets die in hot, unattended vehicles. Ideally, concerned citizens and law enforcement can locate the owner in time, but that is not always the case, and every minute counts. This bill lays out the steps a Good Samaritan must take if they want to rescue an animal in danger from a hot car and avoid the risk of civil or criminal liability.”
The measure was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and The Humane Society of the United States, and jointly authored by the Majority Whip of the State Assembly, Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), and Assemblymember Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga).
