With this month one of the hottest on record and with no sign of a break in the heat, Krysten Ritter wants you to take action if you see a dog locked inside a hot car – no matter what.
The Breaking Bad and Don’t Trust the B—— in Apartment 23 star is appearing in a brand-new PETA ad in which she stands next to a car with a broken window, clutching her rescued puppy, Mikey, in one hand and a crowbar in the other – and her shadowed silhouette reveals a pair of angel wings. The ad, which can be viewed here, proclaims, “Do Whatever It Takes. Be an Angel for Animals”, and goes on to stress the importance of never leaving a dog alone in a hot car.
“I think it’s something that people don’t think about”, Ritter explains in an exclusive PETA interview. “It’s hot outside – your car is like a fishbowl. So the light comes in, and it gets trapped, and it gets really hot in there really quickly.” She continues, “If you see a dog in a hot car, and you think that he’s in danger or that he’s been there for a while, it’s good to speak up …. Go into whatever businesses it’s parked outside of, and just raise awareness about it”.
In her interview, Ritter also points out that if dog guardians are running errands and can’t take their canine companions into the shops with them, they should leave them at home, where they will be safe.
Every year, PETA receives reports of dogs who have died as a result of being left alone in a car on a warm day – even when the windows are left slightly open or the car is parked in the shade. On a relatively mild summer day, the temperature inside a shaded car can climb to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of minutes.
Ritter joins a growing list of celebrities – including her Vamps costar Alicia Silverstone as well as Lea Michele, Paul McCartney, Charlize Theron and Eva Mendes – who have teamed up with PETA or its international affiliates to promote animal protection.
