Reading native and NBA San Antonio Spurs player Lonnie Walker learns first hand what it’s like to be a dog locked in a hot car when he trades places with his dog Zola. In a new PSA YouTube video for PETA, Walker stops for a quick “shopping trip,” leaving himself trapped in a hot car.
“Every year, dogs suffer and die when they’re left in parked cars on warm days. Heatstrokes can occur quickly, even with the windows partially rolled down.” Walker mentions in the video.
According to PETA, Walker joins a list of compassionate celebrities who have teamed up with the organization to spread the word about the danger of hot cars, including actor Mckenna Grace, Italian supermodel Elisabetta Canalis, and NFL player Tyrann Mathieu.
“While humans have the benefit of being able to sweat through our skin, which helps us cool our body temperature, dogs can only cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paw pads. Left vulnerable to the heat, dogs can sustain brain damage and even die in just minutes.” states the PETA website.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 6.5 million members and supporters. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.
