It is obvious enough, especially for us Malaysians, that when one gets into his/her car after it has been parked under the sun for some time, that conditions inside are almost oven-like. Surely then, anyone with an ounce of common sense would think twice about abandoning one's child and/or pet inside said car, right? What about if one has to run down for a quick errand that will take no more than 10 minutes?
Well, in a video by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), ten minutes (or even less) might just be enough time for heat stroke and dehydration to set in - as demonstrated by NFL player, Tyrann Mathieu of the Arizona Cardinals. In the video, Tyrann enters the parked car with its interior temperature already rated at 36 degrees Celsius after just two minutes in.
Now, here comes the scary part. After just four minutes in, the temperature has climbed to a scarcely believable 40.6 degrees Celsius. By this time, the professional athlete is seen furiously wiping away his sweat as the thermometer continues to climb towards the 45-degree mark after just six minutes in.
He goes on to state a timely reminder that if one is to make his/her pet a part of one's family, then please act like it - do not treat it any lesser than you would your own child. Which highlights another disappointing aspect of irresponsible behaviour - parent(s) leaving their own children inside a parked, sealed car under the sun while they run errands.
By the eighth minute, the temperature has risen to 48.9 degrees Celsius. Now, we're not medical experts here at paultan.org but we do believe that a body temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius is enough to severely affect a child's internal organs. Even in the case of an athlete, it is way too much to take in as Tyrann swings the door open to escape the hellish conditions.
He emerges from the vehicle clearly dazed and in need of fluids. So while an adult human has the ability to open the door or even smash the window in an emergency, the chances of a child succeeding are a lot lower. What more a dog, then? Please take note, everyone. Do not, under any circumstances, keep your child/pet locked inside a vehicle no matter how quick you think you can complete that errand.
If a professional athlete gives up after eight minutes, how long do you think your child or pet might last?
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