The Colorado General Assembly has passed a bill into law that could save the lives of hundreds of people and animals!
The Immunity For Emergency Rescue From Locked Vehicle law protects Good Samaritans in the state of Colorado who see animals and people of all ages who appear to be left in danger. This means that people who save lives that might otherwise be lost in hot cars don’t have to worry about facing criminal charges for mischief, trespassing or tampering.
But don’t go around breaking windows willy-nilly, Coloradoans. The law will only protect you from facing legal repercussions if you follow the procedure outlined in the bill. The Colorado General Assembly website lays out easy-to-read instructions for those who would like to educate themselves on the new law.
This law is very important in saving lives. Every year an average of 37 children die in hot cars. There are no numbers for dogs, but the news is packed with stories of pets who lose their lives because of an owner’s carelessness or cruelty. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that the problem is going anywhere, but this will allow anyone to be a hero. Those trapped in cars don’t have to wait for law enforcement to arrive and can get help before it’s too late.
Laws like this and California’s Right to Rescue will hopefully encourage passerby to act, because when lives are needlessly lost, no bystander is innocent.
The Immunity For Emergency Rescue Law is scheduled to go into effect as early as August 9th 2017. Read the bill here.
