Proposed MD law: anybody can legally take your dog from your car

[Anne_FS]

Sounds like legalization of dog theft to me.

Read this sentence on FB about this: “It does not require the person to call the police, stay with the vehicle, or ever identify themselves. Basically they can legally break into your car, steal your dog, then claim they thought it was in danger. You have NO legal recourse if that happens.”

Here’s the link with a partial quote: http://www.akc.org/government-relations/legislative-alerts/MD-SB36-Senate-Hearing/

"The Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is scheduled to consider a bill on Tuesday, January 19, that would allow private citizens to remove a dog or cat from a vehicle if they believe that the animal’s health or safety is in danger. Current Maryland laws only allow law enforcement officers, public safety employees, animal control officers, firefighters, and specific animal officers as defined in law.

“Senate Bill 36 expands this provision to anyone who believes a dog or cat may be in danger in a vehicle and states that they may not be held liable for any damages. There does not appear to be any recourse for the owner for damage incurred when the animal in the car was not in danger. Also, there is no requirement that the person removing the dog should stay with the vehicle, call the police, or leave any kind of message as to who removed the animal and where it was taken.”

[Houndhill]

Whoa!

Recently a friend of mine went to her doctor’s office, just to get blood drawn. Took with her a short-coated white 20 pound dog. Parked in the shade of a tree, it was 68 degrees. Cracked open the windows. Headed to the door of the doctor’s office, was met by police telling her she could not leave the dog in the car. She explained it would be five minutes, she was in the shade, etc., to no avail. They said she could not leave the dog if it was 70 degrees. She showed him her phone, that it was 68 degrees, no go. Temp could go up to 70 in the five minutes she would be gone.

Another friend left her small short- coated dog in her truck, it was 57 degrees, while she was laying a track for her. Returned to truck to find “Good Samaritan” hovering around the truck, concerned about the dog. Not sure if she thought it was too warm or too cold, but was very concerned about the dog’s well-being.

Scary!

[Casey09]

Very scary! I hate the thought of dogs left in hot cars. One of my friends on Facebook posted a picture calling out a dog owner over a dog in a car. It was not at all hot that day. It’s pretty scary to think about the fact that many dogs may also be protective and not good with strangers as well, so getting a dog out of a car could be dangerous, and then a liability to the dog owner and a death sentence for the dog - which is a terrible shame when the dog wasn’t in any danger from the heat.
In a perfect world, I’d say people should be required to call police or AC, then could break a window if the dog was in danger, but then they should have to wait to surrender the dog to AC to be fully checked by a vet and held at AC. Charges may be placed against the owner, in which case I would think that the vet exam would be important. We don’t want people just taking a dog that may need medical attention home, nor do we want people to see a dog they like and just take it.

[rockonxox]

“She barked at me! I thought she was stressed and in danger so I broke your car window and now she is loose and running free”

No. No. No. If there is nothing wrong with the weather, I have water available, window cracked for air flow and I run in to the store for 10 minutes (heck I’ve even done it at Petsmart because I don’t want to bring in all 3 on the way to the dog park) there is NO reason anyone should touch my car or my dogs.

Now, a dog left in 100* with no water for extended periods of time who is panting like nuts… absolutely needs out of that car.

[S1969]

Well…I don’t live in MD, but in NY there is no limit to how many bills can be introduced by an Assemblyman or Senator. Some huge # of bills (e.g. 13000 or more?) were introduced last year, with a very small % of them even moving forward to a committee. Many times they are just something a legislator has introduced to appease a group that has come into the office - and they have no expectation of it ever going anywhere, but it can be counted as “introduced legislation” when they look for election support.

The AKC and many of the dog clubs jump on some of these “proposed laws” which are often nothing but two sentences of text in an introduced bill, and people start going crazy.

The reality is it’s very likely that this particular bill has no chance of moving forward as written - so before people get all hysterical, it’s probably best to track it and see what happens. (E.g. if it’s moved to a committee, then it would be time to write in opposition, for example.)

I find it impossible to believe this bill would ever be passed without insertion of text that requires the person to notify police and wait for them to arrive.

[poltroon]

The new hysteria about dogs in cars - which parallels that of the new hysteria when children are allowed to become out of sight of their parents - saddens and troubles me. I realize there have been some tragedies, but I don’t think it’s nearly in proportion to the new hysteria.

There are times when it is perfectly appropriate and in the dog’s interest to be in the car.

[charismaryllis]

interestingly, there was just something in the animal control section of the paper about a dog left in a car in a shopping mall parking lot (i’m pretty sure in MD). someone called the police, the police came by, determined that the dog looked happy and was wearing a little coat and it was 50 degrees or so out, and they left without citing anybody about anything.

[Alagirl]

[QUOTE=S1969;8482728]
Well…I don’t live in MD, but in NY there is no limit to how many bills can be introduced by an Assemblyman or Senator. Some huge # of bills (e.g. 13000 or more?) were introduced last year, with a very small % of them even moving forward to a committee. Many times they are just something a legislator has introduced to appease a group that has come into the office - and they have no expectation of it ever going anywhere, but it can be counted as “introduced legislation” when they look for election support.

The AKC and many of the dog clubs jump on some of these “proposed laws” which are often nothing but two sentences of text in an introduced bill, and people start going crazy.

The reality is it’s very likely that this particular bill has no chance of moving forward as written - so before people get all hysterical, it’s probably best to track it and see what happens. (E.g. if it’s moved to a committee, then it would be time to write in opposition, for example.)

I find it impossible to believe this bill would ever be passed without insertion of text that requires the person to notify police and wait for them to arrive.[/QUOTE]

But these 2 sentences could very well be tacked on to something larger and actual important and BAM, new law…

[Houndhill]

What I find disturbing is that so many people now object to dogs being ever left in vehicles, even if weather conditions are good…

It has made me not take a dog or two on errands, when I used to, if cold enough. Some would be alarmed they did not have coats on. They might break into my vehicle to “rescue” the dogs.

[pezk]

I wonder what these rescuers would do about K9 dogs left in patrol cars. Not all patrol cars have fans. That type of dog wouldn’t take kindly to some stranger trying to rescue it out of its car.

[S1969]

[QUOTE=Alagirl;8482780]
But these 2 sentences could very well be tacked on to something larger and actual important and BAM, new law…[/QUOTE]

In theory, yes. In reality, it’s not really likely. This is not “hill to die on” legislation.

[bdj]

Just F(everyone’s)I - the proposed legislation is going to be amended. Don’t know the specific wording, but I got this from the AKC: www.akc.org/government-relations/legislative-alerts/md-update-sponsor-agrees-to-amend-dogs-in-vehicles-legislation

[pezk]

That’s good, so far, about govt listening and amending the proposed legislation. Who knows what it will be amended too.
As another poster above said, there’s a lot of hysteria lately about dogs. Too many people think of them as 4legged children instead of animals. Between this and the legislation about dogs outside in the cold, good for chicchics, but not good for malamutes etc. People just can’t see there are differences between breeds. They want one size for all. Common sense is lacking.

[pinkpony321]

Hope this doesn’t come to pass. My dog has a permanent bed in the car, blankies and everything. He loves going with me as I run errands (provided the weather is appropriate) and would much rather be in the car than left home alone.

I’d be so distraught if someone used this as an excuse to take him. I always arm my car alarm so hopefully that would deter people.

[toady123]

With all the nutters out there this seems like a terribly bad idea. I am all for calling the cops or animal control if you have a concern. I don’t think that responsibility should ever fall to a private citizen.