Indiana just changed the law for rescuing pets trapped in hot cars
A new Indiana law protects people from certain financial liability after breaking into a vehicle to rescue an animal in danger, including pets left in hot cars.
If you see a pet trapped in a hot car in Indiana, you now have legal protection to smash a window to rescue the animal.
In Indiana, rescuing a pet from a hot car may no longer come with a repair bill attached.
Last week, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed House Bill 1165, a wide-ranging animal welfare measure that removes the partial financial liability for property damage when someone forcibly enters a vehicle to rescue a domestic animal that has been left in a hot car or is otherwise in danger. Under the previous law, people who broke into a vehicle to save a pet could be responsible for half the repair costs.
"The person must use no more force than is reasonably necessary to enter the motor vehicle and remove the domestic animal from the motor vehicle," the bill states. The person must also remain with the animal until law enforcement arrives.
A Bernese mountain dog sits in a vehicle waiting for its owner to return. (SbytovaNM/Getty Images)
The change comes as hot-car incidents continue to kill pets across the United States.
In 2024, 111 dogs and other companion animals reportedly died from heat-related causes after being left in hot vehicles, while hundreds more were rescued, according to State Farm. "During the hot months of summer, even what feels like a short period of time in a parked car can cost a pet their life," the company said on its website.
And it doesn’t have to feel “hot” outside for danger to build quickly. On a sunny day, temperatures inside a vehicle can climb to dangerous levels in minutes, even with windows cracked.
Hot car dangers can begin months before the official start of astronomical summer, which occurs on June 21, 2026.
As days grow longer and sunlight becomes more intense in spring, the sun can rapidly heat a parked vehicle through its glass windows, creating a greenhouse-like effect even when the air outside feels comfortable.
The new Indiana law may reduce the financial risk for rescuers, but the safest outcome is still prevention: never leaving a pet in a parked vehicle, even for a quick stop.
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