Each year, hundreds of dogs are left in hot cars by careless owners, and as the weather gets warmer the debate begins about how much the average person can do to rescue them. There is a lot of misinformation online, so if you care about animals it's important to get the facts straight. First: there's no denying that dogs should not be left in hot cars. Even at 70 degrees, the heat inside your car can reach 100 degrees, and it only takes minutes for a dog to die.

Second: leaving the windows rolled down will not help cool down your car, so don't assume a dog is safe if the windows are cracked.

There's only 2 states with laws protecting animal rescuers in these situations, so be prepared to face the music if you break a car window. But if you absolutely must do it, here's how:

1. Try to interact with the dog

With no way of knowing how long the pet has been left in the car, you need to check their health before you take action. A dog that's feeling good will interact with people nearby - barking at them, wagging its tail, following you with their eyes. If a dog seems not to notice you, this is a red flag. Before you move on, check that the car is locked.

2. Check for signs of distress

Dogs who are showing one of the following symptoms are already being effected by the heat: panting, drooling, vomiting, laying down, closing their eyes, not reacting when you speak to them. When you see these signs, it's time to act.

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3. Look for the owner

Take down the car's license plate number, make and model. First, check if the owner is standing nearby. If they're not, look in the nearest store or restaurant and have them make an announcement for the car's owner. It's important to act quickly, but if you skip this step you'll almost definitely be in big trouble for trying to rescue the dog. You need to try and track down the owner before doing anything drastic.

4. Call the authorities

Phone the non-emergency line of your local police department and fill them in on the situation. The authorities will tell you what to do from now on, but most likely they will just tell you to stand by until they arrive.

5. Only break the window as a last resort

You'll have to make the decision to break into a car on your own, police departments will almost never advise you to do this. If you're going to go this far, be prepared for a big fine or to be charged for destroying someone else's property.

If you do break a dog out of a car, let them drink some water, or wet a towel and rub it over their body until rescuers arrive.

So far, only 2 states - Florida and California - have passed laws protecting animal rescuers. In those states (and only those states) you can avoid being charged if you follow this checklist:

• check that the vehicle is locked
• call 911 before breaking in
• remain with the animal until the owner arrives

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