How about “ I was saving a life” Do you question when someone enters a burning home to alert residents? Is that breaking and entering? What a moronic take on this
I don’t care if it’s legal or illegal, nor what some twat of a cop has to say about it, I’m getting that dog out of a hot car by any means possible. Go ahead, take me to court. Cops are out of control - THEY are the problem.
In Texas, it would be the owners arrested for animal cruelty. Leaving an animal, confined or chained in the heat, with no access to water, is listed as animal cruelty.
I am assuming this officer would have the same reaction if you came across a child in the car and broke the window to get the child out. You would probably be arrested without anyone pressing charges. I bet he is MAGA.
“CoPs aRe HeRoeS! ThEy pUt tHeiR LiVes oN tHe LinE eVeRdAY!” Of the deadliest jobs in the U.S, police officer doesn’t make the top 20. Next time you have a fish dinner, or buy a 2x4 at Home Depot, thank a fisher or logger. Call THEM heroes.
Too fat for the military, too stupid for college so it’s police officer then! He’s a Corporal which means he’s been on the force for a minute. Instead of going after the asshole who left a dog in a hot car, he goes after the person with a soul, a conscious, a moral compass at true north. What a dick
And shouldn’t Corporal Russel be talking to the owners of that dog about Animal Cruelty and Neglect?? Yes, in some states, leaving a dog in a hot car is a crime. 31 states have specific laws pertaining to pets abandoned in motor vehicles in extreme temperatures.
Also .. opening an unlocked door isn't a crime, assuming the door was unlocked (which seems more likely, the cop didn't mention breaking and entering).
Getting in the car, or taking things or damaging things, would be an offense you could charge for. Damages.
and yes I think more nebulous and harmless laws should be interpreted for the good of everyone. So if there is some sort of law, it shouldn't be enforced on dog rescuers. Usually laws have exceptions like unless they're trying to save someone. Pets are often considered valuable in court. etc.
"Necessity" is a legal defense allowing one to commit a relatively minor offense to prevent a greater harm.
So, had the car owners left an infant in the back of that car in the same circumstances, a court could decide its rescuer was not criminally liable for breaking the car's window.
When you are certified as a commissioned police officer, do you have to swear you'll not use any common sense and humanity? Where the hell was his head and heart. The lady entered their car only to provide some merciful relief. Are there not ordinances against animal cruelty.
Dogs and kids in hot cars (which are usually about ten degrees hotter AT MINIMUM than the outside air if i remember correctly) get busted windows, that's the rule. They were lucky they left their doors unlocked. It's either that or a broken window or a dead dog.
Good for you Mr (sorry? I don't know your name) and that good lady for helping the dog.
I believe many police officers would rescue a dog in those circumstances.
The dog should be taken off the owner, who should now be charged for cruelty.
It seems to me that leaving a dog in a car in ninety degree heat should be a much worse violation than opening the door and giving the poor animal some water.
The officer is not an idiot he's a man on steroids exercising his need for control. If the dept doesn't deal with him his actions could escalate at some point if they haven't already. Cornelius City Police shld do something about this officer. He has no humanity. Maybe that's wht Cornelius PD wants.
Imagine anyone prosecuting a person for breaking a car window to save an imperiled animal's life - much less opening a roasting car's unlocked door to give a suffering animal fresh air and water. Imagine living in the same area as that inhumane cop. Someone should review his loser work history.
👮🏻♀️ “You’re being recorded too”
👩🏽 “Bitch, please. You have that body camera because police are violent thugs and they were mandated to keep you honest.”
I doubt very much that the owner of the truck would be any happier if that dog had died from heat stroke because they didn't even open a window for him.
They should send that woman a thank you card instead of pressing charges.
Thank you so much for posting this!! I am also in WA state, I thought this was the law but thanks for that article!!! This is the only sensible law to protect our pets! 💙
I'm in Iowa. It is illegal to break a window. You're supposed to call 911. Nothing about opening an unlocked door. If the doors are UNLOCKED why would you NOT help the dog? This cop is wrong and so are the owners! A dog only drinks like that if they need it! 🤬🐾🐾🐾
It’s illegal in North Carolina (where this happened) to leave an animal in a hot car - it’s a class 1 misdemeanor. Breaking into said car by anyone other than authorized personnel is not allowed, but she didn’t break in. She opened an unlocked door.
Should have called animal control so they could have broken his window in in order to save the dog. If you see a dog in need, never check the door, always have authority come and bust some windows. It's so much more satisfying and legal that way lol.
Cool, cool...can you guess how long that dog had been sitting in the car beforehand? No? Then we should assume it's been too long and there's no time to waste.
I'm not a lawyer, but this isn't breaking and entering to me. NC requires intent to commit a felony or larceny for that crime in a motor vehicle. Good luck convincing a jury that was the case. I doubt any prosecutor would take it.
Next time just tell the cop “go ahead” and let a judge dress down the idiot cop and the idiot owners and really educate them all. There is a good chance the judge has a pet.
She should have called the cops and said there was a dead dog in a car and the owner needs to be arrested. By the time that guy’s fat ass got to the scene it would have been or the owner’s could be arrested for almost killing a dog. Apparently that is the way to do it legally.
The owners of the car need to be charged with cruelty to animals and endangering the life of a domesticated animal and the dog needs to be removed from their ownership. I'm with the guy who posted and had almost smashed a window in same circumstance. After having retrieved a rock they returned 2 car
No concern for “cruelty to animals” but evidently opening a door is the bigger problem. Also not lecturing the people on lockin thier doors & not being cruel to thier dog. Ok, so lemme get this straight, if a woman is raped its her fault cause she was wearing a skirt but unlocked doors not at fault.
Holy Molly, pretty f ed people and laws, in Spain you not only have the right to break the car's window but when police shows up they're going to fine the owner of the dog. And if you call them before breaking the window they will do it 🤣
You know, thinking about things like two axis moral alignments in dnd, the fact that lawful is one axis and good is a different axis really reminds me that what is good isn't always the law and the law isn't always good.
🤬Looks like this woman hating/cruelty to animal/sadistic moron is only happy spending time on the job harassing women and seeing animals suffer. Sure he's had training in this...🙄
It is your right to perform humanitarian acts to preserve the life of humans or animals. This ethical obligation pre empty any other. Besides you did no harm to property. Corp Russell is a low IQ individual if he cannot conceive of ethical obligation.
What if it was a baby? Would it not be her right to intervene then? What a dumb fucking cop. People make tragic mistakes like this on occasion. If I was that dog owner I'd be very grateful to that woman.
Disgusted but not surprised. Cops love killing dogs and they hate women. Lock this pig in a hot car with the windows up, give him some real eDuCaTiOn oN tHiS.
She should have also called animal control and hopefully they would have also been on scene to "help" the cop cope, since they're also enforcement type people.
CA and NV its the same. You leave a dog or a cat in a car onna hot day the PD or public can break the window to rescue the dog and the owner of the car is cited for endearing/cruelty to an animal.
I give my state Montana a ton of shit, because it’s deserved, but I think we at least have a Good Samaritan law for people who see a pet or child in distress in a car. Russel can go fuck himself.
I found 2 Rottweiler puppies in a car by a hotel in FL on an 88 degree day. I called the police after 10 minutes & checking the hotel lobby for the owners. The door was unlocked. There were feces & dog food in the car. I gave them some water and cleaned them off outside. Cops took an hour to show.
After seeing this in my feed, I feel that woman was doing a public service. That poor dog was *suffering,* and this jackbooted thug wants to charge the woman? Animal abuse was a felony in many parts- including North Carolina, apparently. He needs to suffer legal repercussions- along w/ the owners
She should have just called the Police for an AC Officer and had the owner cited.
In Cornelius, North Carolina, and the state, leaving an animal in a vehicle under conditions that could cause suffering or death, such as due to heat, is against the law, an offense classified as a misdemeanor.
NC General Statute § 14-363.3 permits only authorized individuals, including animal control officers & law enforcement, to enter a vehicle by reasonable means to rescue an animal believed to be in danger. Him not citing the owner was all bravado and “brotitude.” 🙄
What is considered animal cruelty in North Carolina?
… terms "cruelty" and "cruel treatment" include every act, omission, or neglect whereby unjustifiable physical pain, suffering, or death is caused or permitted so officer Russel don’t know shit!
Corporal Russel and his “education on this” can go pound sand. She said she took responsibility! Why did he continue to harass her? Bit of a power trip? Ya think? His ass is grass!
I'm not a pet person but know the importance of hydration, and that officer is completely in the wrong. Besides, an educated man wouldn't say, "I'm educated".
"I'm very educated about this" motherfucker you are not, "In 31 states and the District of Columbia, it is illegal to leave a dog unattended in a vehicle under dangerous conditions, such as on a hot day."
These laws vary by state, but generally address the issue of animals left unattended in motor vehicles, particularly during hot weather. Some states have specific "hot car" laws, while others address it under broader animal cruelty or neglect laws. get educated officer mcFUCK ~<3
Cops are dangerously stupid in Amerikkka.
But, it's what you allow.
You bitch, you complain, but you continue to allow it.
Just like you are allowing fascist pigs to kidnap others.
You fucking allow it to continue.
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15 states have civil immunity laws that apply if an animal is left in car in extreme conditions
Generally allows any reasonable means necessary to rescue – which could mean breaking a window – w/o having to pay for damages or face criminal charges
I don't care what the law says. If I see a dog in those conditions I'm breaking a window to get it water. And then I'm taking the dog because you don't deserve it.
I carry a window popper in my car just for this, if you leave your dog in the car in the summer with windows up or air off you WILL return to a windowless vehicle. Sorry not sorry.
What happens if the dog bites her? In most cases, police come pretty quickly and will break windows to get to the animal. Call the police and wait for them to come. Monitor the animal. If they don't come fast enough, then save the animal.
Yeah, it may be illegal (not sure) but deffo the appropriate thing to do, and I imagine the owner would be grateful. It looks like the cop just wants to play the ‘I am the authority here’ game.
Charitably, you can give the cop enough of the benefit of the doubt to say he was just being literal-minded and stubborn, not some fascist power tripping.
People don't like to hear this but the truth comes out in ways that even most officers don't realize, and that truth is that police are there to protect property, not people.
“I guess it’s a crime if willing to commit” is actually such a huge and important sentiment. The laws are threats from the systems of power, to protect dignity and life some of them will need to be broken before everything is said and done.
The people who left the dog in the car AND that officer are SCUMBAGS!!! We are unfortunately surrounded by so many scummy Americans today. I’m starting to cut off “friends” and family for being such scummy individuals. I no longer have the patience for it
Just remembered the time I was stuck in a hot car for safety. My car broke down in a rural stretch of highway in appalachia, luckily I had water and ice pack with me. Both were HOT within 30 minutes. When help finally arrived I was drenched in sweat and my vision was going in and out.
I couldn’t safely exit my vehicle as there was nowhere safe to stand as I waited. Unfortunately I was between county lines so emergency services never arrived. The only people who came were tow truck and the repair guy.
Not only did I nearly lose consciousness my phone was overheating, it was scary
Keep in mind my windows were open. Genuinely this is probably one of if not the closest time I ever came to dying and I had more imminent danger from the heat than getting knocked off the side of a mountain, which was my other worry. Please don’t leave living things out in a car when it’s hot
her name sounds latin/spanish, makes me wonder if she was profiled too 😞 I hope this officer’s finee “education” is reevaluated after this at the least send him to re-training bc this isn’t how you deal w a minor crime clearly nobody was in danger, as he agreed he just wanted to argue
The function of police in our society is to protect property and capital, not to protect lives & serve the public. Also, American police are cowards & bullies and they are really bad at their job.
Comments
Imagine what he thinks of other living things vs non-living things if this is an example of his logic.
Fire the fucker.
I have opened quite a few vehicle doors for animals. It's against the law in many places to leave animals in vehicles under those conditions.
It wasn’t locked so she didn’t really commit a crime as they obviously didn’t care if someone got inside
The allows for loosening of laws to save lives or animals
The piggy is wrong here
Getting in the car, or taking things or damaging things, would be an offense you could charge for. Damages.
Weird how cops bend the laws.
So, had the car owners left an infant in the back of that car in the same circumstances, a court could decide its rescuer was not criminally liable for breaking the car's window.
Animals over abnoxious police.
This man must be an impostor.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/06/central-pa-sheriff-criticized-over-facebook-meme-showing-blood-covered-truck-protester-edition.html
I believe many police officers would rescue a dog in those circumstances.
The dog should be taken off the owner, who should now be charged for cruelty.
It seems to me that leaving a dog in a car in ninety degree heat should be a much worse violation than opening the door and giving the poor animal some water.
👩🏽 “Bitch, please. You have that body camera because police are violent thugs and they were mandated to keep you honest.”
They should send that woman a thank you card instead of pressing charges.
The sooner everyone realizes that, the sooner we can demand an end to this police state
Shitler didn't start it, he just ramped it up. Slave catchers will always be slave catchers for the wealthy
The owners should actually be thanking you.
#ACAB
I'm not a lawyer, but this isn't breaking and entering to me. NC requires intent to commit a felony or larceny for that crime in a motor vehicle. Good luck convincing a jury that was the case. I doubt any prosecutor would take it.
She said it was not his dog, not his car and she is not under arrest.
I said if it were a child cooking would the cop have reacted the same way?!
I am with her…if a dog, cat, child, anything alive in a car—in the heat… I am busting the window and saving them.
car doors unlocked? no they're not
bust out a window
Also, this is video evidence of the real purpose of the police - protect private property. Not people, not life, not society. Property.
https://kdvr.com/weather/wx-news/hot-temps-on-the-way-police-warn-about-overheating-pets-in-vehicles/
Fuck this popo in particular.
We need stringent IQ standards for anyone issued a badge. Like at least above 40.
I know what you're going to say, "There goes 80% of cops!"
#ACAB
The owners of that dog should have their dog taken away and the owners should go to jail.
In Cornelius, North Carolina, and the state, leaving an animal in a vehicle under conditions that could cause suffering or death, such as due to heat, is against the law, an offense classified as a misdemeanor.
📌
… terms "cruelty" and "cruel treatment" include every act, omission, or neglect whereby unjustifiable physical pain, suffering, or death is caused or permitted so officer Russel don’t know shit!
Also in Australia, the person that endangered the pet or child by locking them in a hot car is charged - not the rescuer.
🇺🇸USA is just another shithole country.
I am so glad that they got a drink of water. 😊
People really NEED to learn to mind their own business! 😡
But, it's what you allow.
You bitch, you complain, but you continue to allow it.
Just like you are allowing fascist pigs to kidnap others.
You fucking allow it to continue.
He has "a lot of education" in what?
Killing dogs?
Generally allows any reasonable means necessary to rescue – which could mean breaking a window – w/o having to pay for damages or face criminal charges
AZ CA CO CT DE FL IN KS LA MA OH OR TN VT WI
That poor animal.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-russell-040b88a
If a baby was in there and we ignored em, is that ok too? What is one life over another?
Where are all these "good" cops everyone claims there are... I'm still waiting to meet one. Can't be that common 🤷🏼♀️
Not jail,
HELL.
So what we're really talking about is whether he should have used his discretion to let her off with a warning.
And he might have done so if she hadn't acted like she had done nothing wrong.
DOGS &KIDS FIRST.
Fat cop, so it makes sense he was power HUNGRY
And Russell, of all people, should know better
https://www.wbtv.com/2023/11/22/pivotal-part-patrol-retired-cornelius-police-k-9-passes-away/
Not only did I nearly lose consciousness my phone was overheating, it was scary
Someone being assaulted in the car, cop mad “good citizen” saves person by opening car door to assist
You live in a police state.
🇺🇸USA is the opposite