GA - Man arrested after smashing window, saving dog from hot car, Athens

Can't believe they arrested him.

Last summer I saw a doggie in a hot car in the Trader Joe's lot. Another bystander saw it too and we called 911 because it was about 85 degrees outside so the car had to be very very hot. The windows were not even cracked or we would have tried to unlock the door.

The dispatcher told us we could break the car window. The man was looking for something to break it with when a tow truck drove by. We stopped him and he had a slim jim and we opened the car door and poured some water on the panting doggie. Then the cops arrived minutes later and the driver was still not there. Finally she came outside with a cart full of groceries and was very mad at us. Pissed me off because we might have saved the poor dog's life and she was screaming at us. The cop gave her a ticket but I didnt see what it was for.

I did ask the cop what would have happened if we broke the car window though. he said if we had called 911 and been given permission then it was fine.
 
I actually did this very thing a while back. I called the police just after smashing the window and saving the puppy. I'm not sure how long he was in the car, but he was unconscious and barely breathing and I was NOT waiting another second.

The man who owned the dog and car was given a fine (and a severe tongue lashing by myself and LE) and I was sent on my way.

All LE said was if he wanted me to pay for the window, to take me to small claims court. He didn't. I kinda wish he would have.
 
Can't believe they arrested him.

Last summer I saw a doggie in a hot car in the Trader Joe's lot. Another bystander saw it too and we called 911 because it was about 85 degrees outside so the car had to be very very hot. The windows were not even cracked or we would have tried to unlock the door.

The dispatcher told us we could break the car window. The man was looking for something to break it with when a tow truck drove by. We stopped him and he had a slim jim and we opened the car door and poured some water on the panting doggie. Then the cops arrived minutes later and the driver was still not there. Finally she came outside with a cart full of groceries and was very mad at us. Pissed me off because we might have saved the poor dog's life and she was screaming at us. The cop gave her a ticket but I didnt see what it was for.

I did ask the cop what would have happened if we broke the car window though. he said if we had called 911 and been given permission then it was fine.

Unfortunately, you can't fix stupid. Which is what that woman was. You have a good heart. Bless you.
 
Oh for crying out loud. Give this guy a medal. What if that was a kid in the car that he got out? Would they still arrest him?
 
Oh for crying out loud. Give this guy a medal. What if that was a kid in the car that he got out? Would they still arrest him?

Nope because it's legal to do that to free a child, but not an animal.
 
Nope because it's legal to do that to free a child, but not an animal.

That really doesn't make sense to me. A small dog doesn't tolerate heat any better than a small child.
 
That really doesn't make sense to me. A small dog doesn't tolerate heat any better than a small child.

But you also don't become eligible for the death penalty in ANY state if you kill a dog.
While killing a small child is punishable by life in prison in most states...
Killing a dog is often not even a felony.

It's something that people are working to change but right now?
Animals lives just aren't worth much in the eyes of the law. :twocents:
 
But you also don't become eligible for the death penalty in ANY state if you kill a dog.
While killing a small child is punishable by life in prison in most states...
Killing a dog is often not even a felony.

It's something that people are working to change but right now?
Animals lives just aren't worth much in the eyes of the law. :twocents:
Killing a dog could be a felony.
 
I want to believe the cops could have discretion in arresting an Army veteran for something as trivial as this. The vet should receive a medal, not handcuffs. IMO
 
Way over reaction. He should have just called the police and had the woman cited for it. The dog is not going to die while the woman runs into a store. He was just taking the law into his own hands.


[video=youtube;nyw7dbua600]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyw7dbua600[/video]
 
Way over reaction. He should have just called the police and had the woman cited for it. The dog is not going to die while the woman runs into a store. He was just taking the law into his own hands....

But how was the veteran to know (a) how long the dog had been in the car (at least long enough for a crowd to gather), and (b) how long it would be before the driver of the locked car returned? Here in the desert we are warned that temperatures in a car (even with a window cracked) rise much more quickly than the ambient temperature outside does.
 
It sounded like the cops were on the way and he chose not to wait for them.
In that case I would agree he over reacted (unless the dog was in distress like in JLSChook's situation.)
The article says the dog was in distress but we don't know what that means....

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/05/1...fter-smashing-window-saving-dog-from-hot-car/

Witnesses say that while a group of shoppers waited for police to arrive to free the dog, the Army veteran smashed the window.
 
A dog can go into severe distress from heat very quickly. Once a dog passes out it can be too late if they are severely dehydrated.
 
It sounded like the cops were on the way and he chose not to wait for them.
In that case I would agree he over reacted (unless the dog was in distress like in JLSChook's situation.)
The article says the dog was in distress but we don't know what that means....

Witnesses say that while a group of shoppers waited for police to arrive to free the dog, the Army veteran smashed the window.

Even so, good luck getting a conviction on the charge against the dog-rescuer. It only takes one animal lover to hang the jury.
 

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