Heat indices are climbing toward triple digits across the state as the Fourth of July weekend approaches, with Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley set to hit the high 90s.
Temperatures inside cars can turn deadly fast. The National Safety Council reports that 37 children die inside hot cars each year on average. Never leave a child or pet inside a car, even with the windows cracked.
People who spot a child or pet trapped in a hot car may hesitate to break in, worried about legal consequences.
But Arkansas’ “Good Samaritan” law protects citizens who need to break into a car. Under Arkansas Code § 17-95-101 (2024), a non-healthcare professional who is present at an emergency or accident scene and believes a person’s life, health, or safety faces imminent threat cannot be held liable for civil damages for stepping in to help.
As in many other states, the “Good Samaritan” law covers those who act in good faith, seek no compensation, and avoid gross negligence or misconduct. Gross negligence means severe recklessness, while misconduct means acting with intent to harm.
It remains unclear whether the same law covers breaking into a car to save a pet.
Individual cities have their own ordinances on leaving pets in hot cars. Fayetteville, for example, bans leaving a pet in a car once outside temperatures exceed 70 degrees.
If you spot a pet inside a hot car and don’t know what to do, call your local animal services or dial 911.
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