Every year, hundreds of dogs suffer and die from heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles. Parked cars are deathtraps for animals: the interior temperature can rise almost 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. In 20 minutes, it can rise 30 degrees.

Given this, you would figure it’s illegal to leave a defenseless pet in a parked car, right? Unfortunately, that depends on which state you live in.  According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, only 20 states have some type of law that prohibits leaving an animal in a confined vehicle. That leaves 32 states that don’t even address the issue legally, and, sadly, Texas is one of these. This means that if your pet dies in your car because of your negligence, you can walk away scot-free. This simply isn’t right.

Our pets give so much to us, and they depend on us for protection. If a pet owner is negligent to this degree, they must face legal repercussions. Please join me in calling on Texas lawmakers to pass a law prohibiting leaving animals in confined vehicles.