CONCORD — There’s a concerned student behind one legislative effort to do something about animals overheating while left inside cars and her efforts have taught her at least one thing: Nobody likes being told they are mistreating their pet, even inadvertently.

“My mom and I, we’ve waited in the Trader Joe’s Plaza for over an hour, waiting for the person to come back to their car. We say, ‘Guys, can you understand how this is dangerous?’ ” said Olivia Hammer, of Newcastle, a 15-year-old sophomore from Portsmouth High School. “When we’ve explained to them, I can’t recall somebody having a realization, saying, ‘Oh, now I understand.’ It’s always been, like, anger. … People have yelled at us.”

Hammer’s concern led her to write her state senator, Tom Sherman, as part of an advocacy letter-writing project for her American Studies class, asking whether the state could give legal support to people who think an animal needs to be rescued from a hot car.

Prodded by Hammer, Sherman is the main sponsor of SB 608, which would allow people to “take action necessary to rescue a confined animal endangered by extreme temperatures” without being liable for damages. The bill, which is identical to one that failed in 2018, requires the rescuer to first call 911 and to have a witness before acting.

Another bill, HB1542, has been introduced into the House of Representatives that would go further, allowing people to “take action necessary to rescue a child, a vulnerable adult, or a confined animal endangered by extreme temperatures” as long as there is a witness and law enforcement has been contacted.

Neither bill specifically mentions cars or vehicles.

Sherman said that the issue is straightforward — the American Veterinary Medical Association says “hundreds” of dogs die of overheating each year when left inside parked cars — but finding the best solution is hard.

“It’s very nuanced,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the discussion and trying to solve this problem; it seems to be one that comes back routinely and yet it doesn’t get solved.”

For example, Sherman said the American Kennel Club opposes legislation like this despite its concern for the safety of dogs.

“They oppose it, citing risks that dogs can be defensive, and (rescuers) will be hurt by the dog,” he said. Another concern they expressed: “There may be people who use this as a way to break into cars — which had never crossed my mind, to be honest.”

“Whenever you work with anything having to do with indemnity, you have to be super careful, because there are opportunities for abuse of these things … and you want to be sure people are protected if they do the right thing,” he said.

As for Hammer, she and her mother have created “Be Cool to Dogs” stickers and website to remind people that it’s not safe to leave animals inside a car if it’s warm outside, even if the windows are left slightly open.

“The point is not me saying, let’s break open cars and save dogs. We’re trying to get a message across that it’s a very preventable death,” she said.