Every summer, pets die in parked cars across Michigan — and right now, there's nothing in state law to stop it.

Michigan is one of only 18 states with no law against leaving an animal alone in a vehicle in dangerous conditions. That means a dog can be locked in a sweltering car on a 90-degree day, and the person who left them there faces no legal consequences whatsoever. Meanwhile, a bystander who breaks a window to save that animal's life could be sued or charged with property damage. The law protects the car — not the dog.

This is a life-or-death issue. Temperatures inside a parked car can spike to 120°F within minutes, even with the windows cracked, the National Weather Service warns. Fatal heatstroke can set in fast — for pets just as it can for children. The American Veterinary Medical Association is clear: no animal should ever be left alone in a parked vehicle, not even for a minute.

Thirty-two other states have already acted. Some ban leaving animals in dangerous conditions outright. Others give Good Samaritans legal protection when they step in to help. Michigan has done neither. That needs to change.

We're calling on the Michigan Legislature — and specifically the chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees — to pass a law that bans leaving pets in vehicles under dangerous conditions and protects Michigan residents who act in good faith to save an animal's life. This isn't a partisan issue. It's a basic question of whether Michigan values the lives of animals and the people who try to protect them.

Sign this petition to urge Michigan lawmakers to act before another animal dies in a hot car this summer.