A new law has just been put in place in Nevada that aims to keep pets there safe.

The Nevada state Senate just passed bill 409, which will criminalize the act of leaving an animal locked car during hot weather. It is already a crime to do this to a child in Nevada, and now it is illegal to do it to a pet as well!

If convicted of this crime, a person would face up to six months in jail or a one thousand dollar fine. Just twenty three states currently have laws to protect animals left in locked cars. The states that have this law already are Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Most of these states classify these crimes as class “A” misdemeanors that carry penalties including fines and/or incarceration. Some of the states specify cats and dogs, while others list domestic animals. Some of the states go so far as to say any vertebrate besides humans or livestock.

These laws have been passed in both blue and red states, showing that this issue transcends political parties. If you are interested in the legal rights of animals and pet owners, you should look into organizations like Michigan State University’s Animal Legal Center, The Animal Legal Defense Fund, The American Kennel Club, The Humane Society of The United States, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

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