Is It Against the Law to Leave a Dog Unattended in a Hot Car? Do You Know the Law for Your State?

Although animal cruelty, neglect, endangerment, and abuse in a variety of forms are illegal in all 50 states, in varying degrees that can earn the offender a simple citation all the way up to a felony charge, only 16 of those states have laws on the books specifically prohibit leaving an animal locked inside a hot car.

Of all fifty states, only Arizona, California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia have state statutes in place that protect dogs specifically from being trapped in cars.

In the 16 states named above, although it is illegal to leave a dog unattended, it is also unlawful for a concerned citizen to take matters into their own hands.

Of the 16 states that make it illegal to leave a dog in a parked car, only 14 grant permission to either law enforcement, animal control, or other authorized personnel to enter a vehicle.

In New Jersey and West Virginia, although it is illegal to leave a dog trapped in a hot car, no one, not even law enforcement officers, are granted the authority to break into the vehicle to save the dog from dying.

What about those other 34 states?

Although the remaining 34 states may not have laws that specifically make it illegal to leave a dog (or other animal) unattended in a vehicle, all 50 states have laws in place to protect animals from abuse, neglect, and cruelty.

It can be argued that a dog left unattended in a parked car, without protection from extreme heat (or cold), that is suffering or showing signs of distress, is the victim of cruelty.

In other words, even though a dog owner may reside in one of the 34 states without specific laws to protect dogs in hot cars, they can be (and very often are) charged with animal cruelty for doing so.

Additionally, although state laws may not specifically address dogs trapped in hot cars, many county and municipal laws do address the issue. Check with your own city and county to be sure of the exact laws in your area.

So what is a concerned animal lover that spots a dog suffering inside a hot car supposed to do?

Currently, there are zero states that grant legal permission to concerned citizens to break and enter a vehicle to save a distressed animal.

If you see a dog in a parked car, no matter which state or what that state’s laws provide for:

1. Make every reasonable effort possible to locate the dog’s owner.

2. Call local police and animal control and report the incident.

3. Remain with the dog until help arrives.

4. If the dog is in imminent danger and help has not yet arrived, you’ll have to use your own judgement, considering the possible legal ramifications of breaking and entering to save the dog.

Many of us would happily face criminal charges, fines, and possible jail time if it meant saving the life of a dog.

The Owners, of Zekiah Farms in Waldorf, Maryland Are Offering a $1,500 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest/Conviction of the Person(s) Responsible for The Shooting of Their Two Dogs

The search is on for who shot and killed two dogs on a farm in southern Maryland.

The mother and son dogs, named Benelli and Bear, were found Monday.

The owners, who operate Zekiah Farms in Waldorf, said in a Facebook post the dogs had been missing since Friday when they went missing on a walk.

They had searched around and called local animal shelters before making the heartbreaking discovery in the area of Bryantown Road and Booth Place.

On their facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/zekiahfarmsllc, the owners are offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest/conviction of the person(s) responsible for this horrific act.

Sharing from their facebook page:

It is with great sadness and I can't articulate our grief and violation. We found Benelli and Bear today and it wasn't good news. They were shot and killed. Benelli was found in the field with the cattle. I used Remi to find Bear about 150 yards away in the woods. It is obvious the shooter knew how to shoot and was proficient with a gun. Both were shot between the neck and left shoulder and mortally wounded. They would not have been able to travel with extensive fatal injuries from the place of the shooting.

I can't tell you how my heart broke while watching my sons bury their beloved dogs.

If anyone has information, please contact myself or the police. The dogs were on the farm in the area of Bryantown Rd and Booth Place.

These were friendly and loving dogs. They play with school children and customer who come visit the farm. They are always around animals and would not hurt any. This was a mean, hateful, and senseless crime. Please help us find who would do this to loving animals.

I'd like to thank everyone who tried to help locate our dogs. Animal lovers are a great and supportive community.

If you have any information, please call: (240) 216-4065

Please Share!

Wonder What Happened to Michael Vicks’ Fighting Dogs?: Most Have Been Rehabilitated and Found Loving Homes

It was a crime that shocked the nation. In 2007, investigators walked inside NFL quarterback’s Virginia mansion and uncovered an illegal dog fighting operation. Gruesome details of abuse, torture and execution of “under-performing” dogs made headlines and sparked public outrage.

Vick served 19 months in a federal prison, after which he was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles. As for the 51 abused pit bulls seized from Vick’s farm, a.k.a Bad Newz Kennel? They were immediately deemed the most aggressive, violent dogs in America and were doomed to be put down. That’s where a hero named Donna Reynolds comes in.

Donna was part of a panel of animal experts who found these dogs were anything but dangerous toward people. They believed the dogs deserved a chance to live, and fought for the dogs’ redemption.

Yes, these pit bulls required work, patience, and care; they were justifiably scared to death of the world around them. But they got their redemption, and each day brought unbelievable progress. The pit bulls once used as bait, breeding, and fighting dogs began to overcome their fears. Some have even gone on to become therapy dogs who work with children!

It was recently announced that the former Bad News Kennel has been reinvented as a haven for the recovery of abused dogs. The 15-acre property, purchased in 2011 by non-profit Dogs Deserve Better, has since been transformed into a refuge known as Good Newz Rehab Center. Its mission is to serve as a place to help abused dogs of all sizes, ages, and breeds regain trust in human beings.

Watch the incredible transformation of these pit bulls below:

Experts Say This Summer is Brewing up Something of a Perfect Storm for Shark Attacks

More than half a dozen shark attacks have happened in North Carolina in the last three weeks, nearly as many as happened all of last year.

Experts say this summer is brewing up something of a perfect storm for the attacks. But while they seem like they're everywhere, shark populations are actually dwindling.

And the real reason there have been so many attacks likely isn't because there are more sharks in the water — it's because there are more people swimming in it than ever before.

  

Shark expert George Burgess of the International Shark Attack File explained the trend in a recent NPR interview:

Shark populations in the US and around the world are at perhaps all-time lows. On the other hand, the human population continues to rise every year. We have no curbing of that.

And fundamentally [a] shark attack ... is driven by the number of humans in the water more than the number of sharks, and when areas such as the Carolinas become popular tourist destinations, as they have, there's [sic] more people entering the water. You're going to end up having more shark bites.

  

While a number of studies in recent decades have suggested that shark populations around the world are all declining sharply, it's hard for scientists to get exact numbers on them.

  

Nevertheless, by comparing recent population numbers with past data, we can get a general estimate of how sharks are doing across the globe, marine biologist and University of Miami graduate student David Shiffman explains in a recent post on his blog.

 One frequently-cited survey of data published in 2003 from fisheries gathered between 1986 and 2000 suggests that shark populations are in deep trouble.

  

The data from that survey found that hammerhead populations were declining by an average of 89%; great whites by 79%; tiger sharks by 65%, thresher sharks by 80%, blue sharks by 60%, and mako sharks by 70%:

(Science/"Collapse and Conservation of Shark Populations in the Northwest Atlantic") Declines in estimated relative abundance for coastal shark species: (A) hammerhead, (B) white, (C) tiger, and (D) coastal shark species; and oceanic shark species: (E) thresher, (F) blue, (G) mako, and (H) oceanic whitetip.

"We may never know exactly how many sharks are out there, or exactly how many are killed each year. What we do know, from a variety of different types of analysis, is that many species of sharks are decreasing in population at alarming rates," writes Shiffman.

Why are sharks in trouble?

While vigilante shark hunters can do significant damage to local shark populations, the real problem centers around two main activities: Hunting sharks for their meat and fins and irresponsible fishing practices. Each year, thousands of sharks are caught and trapped in fishing nets and other fishing gear.

And while it might seem like good news that there are fewer sharks around, it's actually a very big problem for the rest of us.

In many places, sharks are apex predators, meaning they occupy the spot right at the top of the food chain. If their populations aren't healthy and stable, it throws all of the other life in the oceans out ofbalance.

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Plus, sharks have a bunch of characteristics that make them especially vulnerable to exploitation http://www.seethewild.org/shark-threats/, including the fact that they live long lives, mature late in life, and have very few young.

Standing at 6’4” Tall, a Cow Named Blosom, is Officially Recognized as the Tallest Cow by Guinness World Records

Although she is no longer alive, the 2,000-lb cow was announced as the new record holder on June 25.

Blosom, who was named by Guinness as the world's tallest living cow last August, died on a farm in northern Illinois on May 26, after holding that record for less than a year.

Guinness World Records said that the 13-year-old female Holstein will “live on in the record books as the world's tallest cow eve”.

The average weight for a mature Holstein cow is 1,500 pounds and 'top producing Holsteins' have been known to produce more than 72,000-lb of milk in a year when milked three times a day, according to Holstein Association USA.

“The funny thing about Blosom was how unaffected she was by all the attention that seemed to surround her”, Blosom's owner, Patty Meads-Hanson, told Guinness World Records following the news of the animal's latest record.

“As long as she had her oats, daily chin rubs and ear scratches, life was good.” she said.

Hanson said she is not sure what was wrong with Blosom, but had to have her put down after two veterinarians said they could not save her.

On Facebook, at the time of Blosom's passing, Hanson later wrote that the animal had seemed to have slipped in the mud and damaged a ligament in her hip causing her to never be able to stand.

Hanson said Blosom was buried in her favorite pasture, with her head facing east toward the farm. 

Hanson, who had Blosom since she was eight weeks old, said she knew the animal was special when she was a calf. 

After learning the cow could not bear a calf, Hanson decided to keep her as a pet instead of sending Blosom to slaughter, RRStar.com reported.

Blosom was born to two normal sized cows and was at her tallest when she was eight years old, Hanson told Guinness World Records.

“Blosom is the pride of the farm,” Hanson said in an interview last year. “I love to share her with my guests and she loves to greet them. 

Many of my guests come from the city, and to have a cow officially greet them adds to the ambiance of the farm.”

Hanson said she sought the record after veterinarians, the cow's foot trimmer and her father constantly noted Blosom's large size.

At the end of May 2014, family and friends began documenting Blosom's large size through photos and videos. Her official measurements were taken by a vet from Orangeville Animal Health Service.

In October 2014, Patty and Blosom posed for their official Guinness World Records photo.

Blosom will appear in the 2016 edition of the Guinness World Records book which will be out in September.

Last week, Hanson also shared news on Facebook that PETA had extended condolences following Blosom's passing, and that a gold leaf would be added to their Tree of life memorial at its national headquarters in Richmond, Virginia.

Following the news Hanson wrote on Facebook: “I am very proud of Blosom, and thrilled that PETA views her worthy of this huge honor and recognition! Her memory lives on”.

Hanson said she cannot wait for its release and that she misses Blosom 'terribly'.

“I will cherish our memories forever,” she said. “I am excited for the world to meet Blosom in the 2016 edition, but I know it will be very bittersweet.” She said.

The previous title holder for the tallest cow ever was a 6-foot-2 Holstein-Durham cross called Mount Katahdin who held the title from 1906-1910.

Cabell County, West Virginia: A Man Was Charged for Confining Two Deer in His Home for Over a Year

West Virginia Natural Resources Police received a complaint on July 4th of deer being kept in a home. When they arrived to the residence, they found two bucks and set them free.

A man now faces charges for illegally confining wildlife and his prosecution is pending.