Assembly OKs bill to protect animals in cars

CARSON CITY -- Police would be permitted to break into cars to free cats or dogs suffering during extreme heat or cold conditions under a bill approved 36-6 on Thursday by the Assembly.

Members supported Senate Bill 329, which makes it a misdemeanor for a person to allow a cat or dog to remain unattended in a parked car during a period of extreme heat or cold.

Firefighters, police and animal control officers would be permitted to "use any force that is reasonable and necessary" to remove the animals from locked vehicles.

The bill was sponsored by Sens. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, and Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, and approved in the Senate in a 19-2 vote April 23.

Because the Assembly added a minor amendment, senators must agree before the bill goes to Gov. Jim Gibbons for his signature.

Before the vote, Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, questioned whether she would be breaking the law if she ran into a store to "use the facilities" while keeping the air conditioning on for her dogs in her locked truck. Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno, said she would be innocent of any offense because her dogs would not be in danger from heat or cold.

Assemblyman Ed Goedhart, R-Amargosa Valley, said he could not support the bill because of uncertainty about when police could intervene.