With summer’s official arrival, and temperatures set to soar into the 90s, a state law whose mission is to protect animals in hot cars is sure to get its first major test.

The “hot car bill,” sponsored by state Rep. Frank A. Farry, R-Bucks, went into effect around the start of the year and gives first responders civil immunity to rescue unattended animals from dangerously hot vehicles. Two things to note about this law: It applies to cats, too, and it also covers vehicles that become too cold.

That’s the good news; the bad news is that this law does not apply to private citizens, so don’t try to throw a rock though a car window to give relief to an animal inside, because, if you do, you will open yourself to criminal prosecution and civil consequences, regardless of how well-intentioned your motives are.

Thankfully, from what I have been able to tell, these cases don’t happen too often, but even once is one too many. The only one I’ve personally encountered was two summers ago when I was walking on Iron Street in Lehighton. About a half-dozen men and women had gathered outside a parked SUV and were yelling about a puppy that was inside.

The vehicle’s windows were open about a quarter of an inch, but it was a blazing hot day with the sidewalk temperature in the 95- to 100-degree range. Several of the bystanders tried to open the door, but it was locked.

As the bystanders debated what to do next, the vehicle’s owner arrived, and several of those gathered gave him a tongue-lashing about leaving the animal locked in the car on such a hot and humid day.

The vehicle owner tried to defend his actions by saying that he had left the windows open a crack, but this did not satisfy the angry onlookers. I feared that the incident would escalate, but the driver rolled down the windows and drove off.

Even with this new law, if those bystanders had tried to break into the vehicle, they could have been charged with various offenses, including breaking and entering, trespassing and damaging private property.

The new law gives immunity to animal control and humane officers, law enforcement personnel and emergency responders. The law, however, does not grant immunity from civil liability for damage resulting from entry if the person’s actions constitute “gross negligence, recklessness or willful or wanton misconduct.”

The law also cautions those involved in the rescue to use “no more force than necessary” to enter the motor vehicle.

If you see a distressed animal locked inside a vehicle, your move is to contact police or humane society officials. Stay with the vehicle, if possible, until an authorized responder arrives. Write down the location and time of the incident and information about the vehicle to help police track down the offender if he or she leaves before help arrives.

This law requires officials to make a “reasonable” effort to find the owner of the vehicle before entering. Whoever performs the rescue is required to leave a note with contact information and where the owner can retrieve the animal.

When the outside temperature is as low as 70 degrees, a car can heat up to 89 degrees in just 10 minutes and to 104 in 30 minutes, according to Humane Society estimates. On humid days, the feel-like temperature can be even higher.

For your pet’s health and safety, you should never leave it unattended no matter what the outside temperature is, animal-rights advocates agree.

The state Humane Society warns owners that winter can cause problems for pets locked in cars, too. Winter exposure dangers are less well-known, but different breeds of cats and dogs have different reactions to cold weather. A good rule of thumb is: If it is too cold to keep a pet out-of-doors, it is too cold to keep it in an unattended vehicle.

Once the temperature drops below 40 degrees, owners should be concerned about exposure to cold. A shivering pet inside a locked car is a warning sign that the animal is in distress, the Humane Society said.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com