New Law Allows Florida Residents To Break Into Cars To Save People, Pets

All eyes will be on Florida this week as voters head to the polls for the Presidential primary. However, a new state law went into effect last week that will save the innocent lives of pets and people.

Governor Rick Scott signed into law last week House Bill 131, which allows Floridians the right to legally break into locked vehicles to rescue pets or people "who are in imminent danger of suffering harm". In other words, they can break in if a child, person, or pet is locked in a hot car. The law is in direct response to a growing number of incidents where pets, children, and others have died as a result of being left in an overheated vehicle.

Individuals cannot be sued under the new law as long as they have: checked the vehicle is locked, called 911 or law enforcement before entering the vehicle or immediately after doing so, use no more force than necessary to break in, and he or she must remain with the person or animal until help arrives.

Now while Florida's weather can obviously be warmer on average than the rest of the country, I think this law or a similar measure would benefit those states that see high heat and humidity during the summer, like here in the Tri-State. Not one summer goes by where I don't hear about a child or pet being left in a sweltering car. Hopefully the rest of the country can see Florida's new action as an example.