Animal Services

Hot Cars Kill

Never Leave an Animal in a Hot Car

It's Deadly. It's a Fine. It's the Law.

It is ILLEGAL for a person to leave an animal unattended in a parked or standing motor vehicle during extreme heat. (NRS 202.487 and WCC 55.190)

Animal Services responds immediately to these calls and will take necessary action to remove an endangered animal from a vehicle, breaking a window if necessary and issuing a fine over $600. 

What to do when you come across an animal locked in a hot vehicle.

1. Call us immediately at 775-322-3647. Do not report this online!
2. Get the vehicle’s license plate number, pet description and vehicle description.
3. If there is a business nearby, request an emergency announcement be made with the descriptive information.
4. Go back to the vehicle and wait for WCRAS to arrive.  Do not enter the vehicle and do not confront the animal owner! 

WCRAS receives an average of 600 calls for dogs or cats left in vehicles every summer.

When it is 70 degrees outside, the inside of a vehicle can reach temperatures over 110 degrees, even with the windows cracked. At these temperatures a pet can quickly suffer from brain damage or die from heatstroke or suffocation.  

Animal Control Officers can and will take the necessary action to retrieve an animal from a vehicle, including breaking a window, door lock or other measures to rescue the animal.

Tips for prevention and treatment of overheated animals from HSUS and ASPCA