Will I be held liable for rescuing a dog locked in a hot car?

In California, the “Hot Dog” law allows bystanders to break into a car to rescue an animal in immediate and imminent danger of overheating without fear of legal backlash. However, you must first alert the authorities and, most importantly, the animal has to be in distress, not just alone in a car—standing by during a five-minute coffee run on a chilly morning does not constitute an emergency. Note that it’s not illegal to leave an animal in a vehicle; they just can’t be subjected to extreme temperatures.