Animals are still considered property in Arizona and across state lines.However they are also sentient beings. This means that they are still able to perceive and feel things like the love they have for their owners. They also feel the love their owners bestow upon them. They can also feel acute physical pain and hot and cold temperatures. Some animals have the ability to predict earthquakes before they happen. They can sense imminent danger and myriads of animals have even saved human lives as a result.

This is why it is crucial that we protect animals; both domestic animals and animals contained in sheds, corrals, pens and in farmland. A canine and feline's body core temperature runs higher than humans. Normal body core temperatures for a dog or a cat run approximately between 100.5 degrees farenheit to 102.8. Anything above that number would deem the animal febrile.

Temperatures in the state of Arizona are arid and mainly hot with low humidity. The summers are torrid and temperatures can reach up to record heat of up to 120 degrees farenheit, but on average between 105 degrees to 115 degrees. I have personally observed and on more than one occasion, the unecessary suffering of animals contained outdoors and without shaded areas provided to them. Some animals have no access to water and even more horrifying are the ones trapped inside vehicles devoid of air conditioning, water and proper ventilation.

If a child is left unattended in a vehicle during extreme heat, the parent can face felony charges for child abuse and cruelty but there are currently no statutes or ordinances that exist to protect the precious lives of animals. If a child is hot  or dehydrated, he or she communicates to a parent and the parent provides water. Unfortunately an animal is left to fend for itself, at the cruel hands and mercy of its owner.

We understand that temperatures inside a vehicle exceed the actual temperature outdoors and animals left in sweltering hot cars for even up to 10 minutes of extreme heat exposure can exhibit sings of heatstroke. Leaving animals unattended and under these conditions for longer periods of time can result in death of the animal.Please sign this petition to make it a felony charge to leave any animal in a vehicle unattended and in temperatures above 60 degrees in any vehicle at any time. By signing this petition you also agree that no animal should be left outdoors and unattended in temperatures exceeding 75 degrees farenheit. If any animal is left in this condition, please agree that the animal's owner should be charged with a misdemeanor, and any animal left outdoors in temperatures 90 degrees or higher should face felony charges.

If any animal is contained inside a vehicle with indoor temperatures exceeding 80 degrees farenheit, and is found without proper ventilation (absence of running air conditioning within the vehicle, abscence of water and windows retracted 1/4 inch, we, the people hereby petition to the local governments that a felony charge be issued to the owner(s) of the animals and that all animals under these circumstances be seized by animal control and be transported to a local animal services center. I hereby request that the animals shall only be returned to their owners after the owner(s) pay a fine to their local animal shelter in the amount of $400 for  each violation.

I ask the presiding judge in each county to jail any person responsible for committing crimes of abuse, neglect, and willful negligence against any animal. I ask all jurisdictions in the state of Arizona to protect all animals living in farms. (i.e. poultry, horses, cattle and any animal not mentioned here) They must provide the animals with cool shaded areas and an abundance of water receptacles containing water within them at all times. Cool shaded areas means the animals' heads and full bodies are completely shaded by a roof. If the animals are required to live their daily lives outdoors, then they must implement water misting systems ejecting cold water at all times in the summer months  of March through end of October (Arizona.) All proposed ordinances in this petition apply to Arizona and all 50 states.

Thank you for taking the time to sign this petition. Hopefully we can sign this into law one day!

Michelle