See a pet in a locked, hot car? Here's what Beaufort Co. police say you can do

You're walking out to your car across a wide, steaming parking lot.

Its 90-plus degrees and you can't wait to turn the AC on to full blast.

Then something catches your eye.

You see a dog inside a car.

Alone.

The car windows are cracked a bit but the animal is still panting heavily and her eyes are glazed.

What should you do?

According to South Carolina law, nothing.

No one is obligated to help rescue an animal that's simply been left inside a vehicle.

But you can call police or animal control, especially this time of year, when outside temperatures can make the inside of a closed vehicle oven-like.

"We respond every single time," said Sgt. Mike Phelan of the Beaufort Police department.

While South Carolina law makes no mention of rescuing animals locked in vehicles, it does address abandonment. So do Beaufort County ordinances because it is considered animal cruelty.

"Abandonment shall mean to desert, forsake, or intend to give up absolutely a pet or livestock without securing another owner or without providing for adequate food, water, shelter, and care," according to the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances. "An animal is considered abandoned when it has been left unattended for 24 hours."

The code also addresses "care generally" for animals.

According to that section, it is unlawful in the county for a pet owner to fail to provide food, water at all times, proper shelter and protection from weather. Owners are also required to provide humane care and treatment.

"We've charged people in the past" for leaving their animals unattended in hot cars, said Capt. Bob Bromage of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

"Inside a vehicle, turned off with no A/C, the heat goes up exponentially," Bromage said.

He's right.

What you see

If the temperature outside is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature inside a locked car can reach 99 degrees in just 10 minutes, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

The humane society also lists signs to look for in an overheated pet:

• heavy panting
• glazed eyes
• rapid pulse
• unsteadiness or staggering gait
• vomiting
• deep red or purple tongue

Beaufort Police said the department see a spike in the summer in calls about pets locked in cars.

"We actually get more calls for animals than we do for children," Phelan said.

What you do

Some people wonder if they are "allowed" to break into a car to rescue an animal.

The short answer:

No.

The long answer:

Police or animal control workers will have to determine if an animal is actually abandoned or being abused or mistreated.

If someone smashes a car window to save a dog before police show up, and it's later determined that the dog wasn't mistreated, the window smasher could face a charge of vandalism or worse. Charges are determined on a case-by-case basis, police said.

"We would never recommend that someone destroy property," Joy Nelson, the Bluffton Police department's public information officer, said. It is best to dial 911.

"We'll get there as fast as we can and assess the situation," she said.

Beaufort investigator Stephanie Karafa agreed.

It would also help, Karafa said, to provide:

• license plate number
• vehicle description
• location of the vehicle
• how long you've witnessed the animal inside the car

When an officer gets to the scene, Karafa said, he or she will confirm the outside temperature from Beaufort County Dispatch.

The officer will also determine if the animal is in distress and contact any witnesses. If the animal is in danger, the officer will remove the animal.

"The owner will also be subject to criminal charges," Karafa said.

This story was originally published June 26, 2018 at 2:49 PM with the headline "See a pet in a locked, hot car? Here's what Beaufort Co. police say you can do."