Michael Vick lobbies for law to protect animals in hot cars

National Football League quarterback Michael Vick got the celebrity treatment as he visited the Pennsylvania state Capitol in Harrisburg on Tuesday to lobby for a bill to help protect cats and dogs from being left in unattended vehicles.

The bill would shield first responders from liability for any property damage they cause when rescuing animals from unattended cars and trucks in extreme heat that endangers their health and well-being. Leaving a cat or dog in an unattended vehicle under such conditions would be summary offense under the bill.

“The bottom line is that all animals thrive (on) kindness and respect. They depend on us like our children depend on us,” Vick said. “I know that I’m an enlightened advocate. I was part of the problem when I was at my lowest. I made decisions to make change and I stand by them.”

The bill was introduced in September and is pending in a House committee. A summary offense is the most minor type of infraction in Pennsylvania, usually punishable by a fine.

Seventeen states have laws making it illegal to leave pets in vehicles on warm days, according to the Humane Society of the United States.