New Legislation Would Allow Firefighters To Save Pets In Hot Cars

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — After the horrifying discovery Tuesday of three dogs found dead in a hot car in Shirley, new legislation has been passed in the New York State Assembly that would permit firefighters to save pets from extreme temperatures in motor vehicles.

Legislation introduced by Assemb. Fred Thiele passed unanimously, 139 to 0, Thiele said.

The legislation "substantially expands" who can rescue companion animals from extreme temperatures while confined in a motor vehicle, Thiele said.

A bi-partisan coalition of 21 other Assembly members co-sponsored the bill, he said.

Current law prohibits the confinement of a companion animal in a motor vehicle in extreme heat or cold temperatures without proper ventilation or other protection from such extreme temperatures, placing animal in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Thiele said.

The legislation also provides a procedure that a police officer, peace officer, or peace officer acting "as an agent of a duly incorporated humane society" may take to remove the animal or animals from the vehicle in cases where the operator of such vehicle cannot be promptly located. The officers cannot be held criminally or civilly liable for actions taken reasonably and in good faith in carrying out the law, Thiele explained.

The new legislation would expand the law by adding thousands of paid and volunteer firefighters located across New York State and giving them the same authority to rescue companion animals as police and peace officers.

“This bill will result in the saving of pets’ lives in these dangerous situations by substantially expanding who can respond to a pet in distress," Thiele said. "Firefighters are equipped and trained to act in these situations. This legislation will allow our firefighters to put that training to good use when a pet is threatened by extreme temperatures in a motor vehicle.”

The bill now heads to the New York State Senate for final approval.

A Shirley man was arrested after three dead dogs were found in an SUV early Tuesday morning, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, the dogs were found at 5:40 a.m. in a parking lot on Montauk Highway. Seventh Precinct officers responded to the parking lot after two people observed six dogs, all Rottweilers, inside cages in a parked 1998 Ford Explorer, police said.

Three of the dogs were deceased and three surviving dogs were transported to the Brookhaven Town Animal Shelter for evaluation, police said.

It was determined the dogs were in the vehicle in excess of 11 hours; the car wasn't running and there was no air conditioning, police said; heat advisories have been issued due to the soaring temps in recent days.

The dogs' owner, Carmine Dapruzzo, 41, was charged with animal cruelty under the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law pertaining to the care of animals; he will be arraigned at a later date, police said.

"Never leave your animals unattended in a car in these temperatures," said Roy Gross of the Suffolk County SPCA. "The car becomes an oven in a matter of minutes, even with the windows cracked — a few minutes is a death sentence, especially in temperatures like we're seeing now."

Dapruzzo, who works at a pizzeria in the shopping center where the dogs were found, told police that he left them in the car because he had nowhere else to put them, according to an NBC 4 report.

Photo by Lisa Finn.