Every summer, thousands of dogs suffer and die when their guardians leave them inside a parked car. It might be for “just a minute” while they run inside the gas station or pop into a store, but it could result in tragedy.
NFL free safety Tyrann Mathieu is a huge animal lover, so when he heard about the dangers of leaving dogs inside hot cars, he jumped into action. How long do you think you could last inside a car that’s baking in the summer heat? Five minutes? Six? Mathieu accepted the challenge—and the results are shocking …
Even on a mild 73-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can reach 120 degrees in minutes. Dogs aren’t equipped to handle such high temperatures. Unlike humans, they can’t sweat to cool themselves off—and while you can take off your jacket or roll up your sleeves, dogs wear permanent fur coats 365 days a year. Animals can suffer and die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes, even with the car’s windows partially rolled down.
How You Can Help
- If you see a dog left in a hot car, take down the vehicle’s information, contact local authorities immediately, and quickly try to find the owner inside nearby stores.
- Don’t leave the scene until the authorities have arrived or the owner has been found.
- If you have dogs of your own, leave them at home on hot days.
- Share this photo on Facebook and Instagram to help spread the word.
