Protecting Children And Pets: The Laws On Hot Car Risks

With the arrival of hot summer weather, we asked a spokesman for the Cheyenne Police Department about the rules regarding leaving children and pets in a car during hot summer weather.

State And Local Laws On Children And Animals In Hot Vehicles

Services Captain David Janes gave us this response:

City Ordinance 6.08.010 is Cruelty to Animals. Under Section C, it says, “No person shall leave a dog or any other animal in an unattended vehicle without adequate ventilation or in such a manner as to subject the animal to extreme temperatures which adversely affect its health or welfare.”

State Statute 6-2-502(b) says that “a person is guilty of child abuse, a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than ten years, if a person responsible for a child’s welfare intentionally or recklessly inflicts upon a child under the age of 18 years:

Physical Injury
Mental injury
Torture or cruel confinement.

Captain Janes further told us they will take action if law enforcement has probable cause to think either of these laws has been broken. He said the enforcement would probably start with animal control in the case of animals.

The Laramie Police Department on Tuesday put up a Facebook post on this issue. According to their post:

''Studies show that the interior temperature can rise by 40 degrees within 60 minutes, with most of the increase happening in the first 30 minutes.

Quick Breakdown:

- After 10 minutes: 109°F

- After 20 minutes: 119°F

- After 30 minutes: 120°F

- After 60 minutes: 133°F''

Officially it isn't summer for a few days, but Cheyenne has already seen temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s, and it is a safe bet that more are on the way.