Leaving Your Dog In Your Car Could Become A Felony In Michigan

Leaving a dog or a cat or any other animal in a car in Michigan could soon qualify as a felony.

I've seen it before and it is so sad.  Leaving any living thing in a hot car is proven to be a horrible idea, and soon, leaving an animal in a car in Michigan could soon qualify as a felony. According to Mashable, sixteen other states already have similar laws, and Michigan lawmakers are considering passing their own legislation that would make it illegal to keep an animal in a car in conditions that might endanger its "health or well-being."

If the law passes in Michigan, and an animal dies inside a vehicle, the person who left the dog or cat there could go to jail for up to five years or be fined as much as $5,000. If the animal is injured, that could result in a year of time behind bars, or a $1,000 fine, and first offenders could get a $350 fine or a month and a half in jail, while second-timer offenders could get three months in prison or fined $500.

While many states have similar laws, the vast majority classify the crime as a misdemeanor. Two complimentary bills about leaving animals in cars were introduced this week into the state senate and have been sent to the judiciary committee for consideration.

I couldn't imagine letting my precious Stella suffer in a hot car :(