Long Island Town Eyes Tougher Penalties For Leaving Pet In Hot Car
NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The Town of North Hempstead on Long Island is considering stiffer penalties for those who leave their dogs in hot vehicles.
Currently, there is a New York state law that makes it a violation for pet owners to leave their dogs in hot cars, especially when there is a heat wave, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported Tuesday.
Long Island Town Eyes Tougher Penalties For Leaving Pet In Hot Car
But North Hempstead officials want to go a step further and are now looking at possible jail time for irresponsible owners.
"Even if the window is open slightly and the air conditioner is running, on an 85-degree day the temperature inside a car can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes," said Supervisor Judy Bosworth. "And after 30 minutes the temperature could actually reach 120 degrees. So we're concerned."
Bosworth said the animal shelter gets calls every day from concerned citizens worried when they see a dog locked in a car with no water or air conditioning.
"This is a campaign townwide to raise consciousness and awareness because it's not what we want to see happen," she said.
