Target: Robert Stivers, President of Kentucky State Senate
Goal: Enact tougher penalties for individuals who leave animals locked in hot vehicles.
Heat waves have blanketed the nation. While many humans can retreat to cooled interiors, their pets are often not so lucky. Some animals are left outdoors in sweltering temperatures, and a shockingly high number must suffer trapped in vehicles where heat indexes can soar up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Such a horrible fate apparently befell two dogs in Kentucky.
Police responded to a Louisville residence after its occupants reported a vehicle parked along their street with two dogs inside. When authorities approached the auto, they broke the window and removed the animals. One of the dogs had tragically died, and the other passed away a short time later. The temperature that day was 93 degrees.
The vehicle’s owner, Kyle Cobb, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. Unfortunately, because of lax state laws, he was only charged with a second-degree offense. This suspect seemingly already has a long history with law enforcement.
Kentucky is one of several states that does not have specific animal cruelty laws relating to hot car deaths on the books. Sign the petition below to help change these outdated guidelines for the sake of innocent animals.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Senator Stivers,
“I can’t ignore the fact that a living being died because of his actions.” These words were spoken by a judge in the bond hearing for Kyle Cobb, who was recently accused of leaving two dogs to die in a hot car. Tragically, these animals are just two of many.
Louisville had a record-setting heat wave this summer, and the number of people and animals affected by these sweltering temperatures sadly rose as well. In a world where such extreme temperature events are now the new normal, we need updated laws to reflect this reality. The man in the above case was only charged with a second-degree offense, and a likely light potential punishment, because Kentucky has failed to address and specifically incorporate hot car deaths into its state animal cruelty laws.
Please join with other states and amend these legal loopholes before another innocent animal suffers needlessly.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Tim Gouw
Come on Kentucky, help these helpless animals and prosecute these cruel and clueless owners for abuse. There is no reason this shouldn’t be a first class felony offense, it’s no different than leaving any live being in a vehicle to roast alive and it is shameful and disgusting that Kentucky has such little regard for life.