Multiple animal cruelty citations issued at Targhee Fest - East Idaho News
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Multiple animal cruelty citations issued at Targhee Fest

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ALTA, Wyoming — Wyoming sheriff’s deputies cited three people with cruelty to animals at Grand Targhee resort last weekend after they left their dogs in hot cars during Targhee Fest.

Sergeant Todd Stanyon said the department has zero tolerance for people who leave their pets in hot vehicles.

“We’re not going let an animal die,” he said.

Festival-goers noticed the animals and contacted law enforcement. In one case the vehicle was unlocked, so passersby let the dog out and gave it water before deputies arrived on scene. In another, deputies had to use a ”lock-out kit” to open a locked vehicle in order to help the animal.

In that instance Stanyon said the vehicle owners were not happy that deputies went into their vehicle to help the dog.

“It’s unfortunate that people can’t take responsibility for their actions” Stanyon said.

Unlike other states, Wyoming doesn’t have a law that protects people who break into vehicles to save pets. He said that entering someone else’s vehicle could be considered a crime but that deputies use common sense when dealing with these situations.

“It’s best to let law enforcement know,” he said.

Stanyon added that while police are empowered to open vehicles to stop crimes, regular citizens are not shielded from inflicting property damage to rescue pets in hot vehicles.

Cruelty to animals is considered a misdemeanor which carries a $550 bond, which Stanyon said can be levied into a fine.

Alta was forecast to have a high of just below 90 degrees on Saturday, July 15. At that temperature, according to heatkills.org, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach 124 degrees in just half an hour. Even if the temperature was 75 degrees, a closed vehicle could reach 109 degrees after 30 minutes.

Stanyon said deputies will take the same zero tolerance approach at the Targhee Bluegrass Festival next month. He advised that if people leave their pets in a hot car at the event they should expect to be cited for it.

This article was originally published in the Teton Valley News. It is used here with permission.

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