In June of 2018, we all heard about Nancy Louise Western from Bossier who killed her 2 Labrador retrievers and Cocker Spaniel because she left them in her hot car during a doctor's visit. I remember being so upset and wishing I could have been there and broken a window and let the dogs out.

What happens if you see a dog locked in a hot car? What can you legally do? I personally can't imagine passing by an animal in distress and be okay with it. I would have to do something. Does the law protect me from doing what's right?

Only 28 states have a “Good Samaritan” law. It allows any person to break a car window to save a minor, a pet, or a companion. Luckily for us in Louisiana, we are free to take the necessary measures to save a life.

Thank you to ACT No. 360 "RS 37:1738.1 provides that a person is not liable for property damage or trespass to a motor vehicle if the damage was caused while rescuing an animal in distress if certain conditions are met, including making a good-faith attempt to locate the owner of the motor vehicle, contacting law enforcement, determining the vehicle is locked and using only the force reasonably necessary to rescue the animal. The animal is defined as any dog or cat kept for pleasure, companionship or other purposes that are not purely commercial.”

It's sad that so many of us need to be armed with this information, but the truth is, much like Nancy Louise Western from Bossier, there are many horrid pet owners that will put their pets in harm's way without regard for life.

Please be aware of your surroundings, if you see a pet in distress, first try to locate the owner, if you can't locate them contact law enforcement before you break the window.

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

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