LAGUNA BEACH : Pets in Closed Cars Subject of Ordinance
The City Council gave tentative approval Tuesday to a law against leaving animals unattended in vehicles without proper ventilation.
The ordinance was proposed by Police Chief Neil J. Purcell Jr., who said pets left in cars can be endangered by temperatures rising to levels that can cause brain damage or death.
On an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car where a window is open just half an inch will rise to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and then quickly go higher, according to a report presented to the council by Purcell.
Animal control officer Keith Hall said Wednesday that such treatment of animals is “a big problem” for Laguna Beach in the summer.
“We probably get about five calls a week in the summertime during the hot weather,” he said. Often, Hall said, people will leave their dog in a car that is shaded but stay away long enough for the sun to shift.
“They don’t realize the shade moves and the dog is out in the sun in 120-degree weather. In just a matter of minutes, it can be dead,” he said. “In the summertime, it’s best if they’re going out for the day to just leave the puppy home.”
Under the new city law, which is expected to win final City Council approval later this month, violators would receive a citation similar to a traffic ticket. The misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail.
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