The question always arises, “Can I break the window and save the animal?  Do I have to call the police first?”  The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) has a great resource that tells you state by state what the laws and statues are.  Check it out here:

http://aldf.org/cases-campaigns/action-alerts/dogs-in-hot-cars/overview-of-state-laws-leaving-unattended-animals-in-vehicles/