Warning to Protect Dogs

California will be the first to include text in the state’s Driver Handbook that warns against leaving dogs locked in vehicles. The text will state that leaving dogs unattended in locked cars is against the law, and warns that penalties include up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500 if a dog dies or is hurt due to being left alone. The warning is a result of Assemblymember Anthony Portantino’s work with California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). “The DMV understood the need for providing animal safety information just as they provide educational information on leaving unattended children in vehicles,” Portantino said. Animals left in vehicles are often severely injured or killed by high temperatures in the vehicle.