NFL's Tyrann Mathieu suffers in hot car to promote pet safety

In a public service announcement for PETA, Arizona Cardinals' Tyrann Mathieu illustrates the consequences of leaving a dog inside a car in warm weather, even for a few minutes.

"If you're going to make a dog a part of your family, then make him a part of your family," said Mathieu in the video. "Don't treat him like you wouldn't someone you care about or someone you loved."

The ad, created by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, placed the Cardinals' safety in the passenger seat of an SUV with the windows rolled up and air conditioning off while it was 90 degrees outside. Within just four minutes, the temperature inside the vehicle rose to a sweltering 105 degrees.

Covered in sweat and visibly uncomfortable, Mathieu couldn't take it anymore after only eight minutes when the inside temperature reached 120 degrees and exits the car.

However, unlike humans, pets do not have the ability to let themselves out of a hot car. In the video, PETA explained that dogs cannot sweat and so they have no way of cooling themselves in such extreme heat. At 105 degrees, a dog can suffer heatstroke and their organs begin to fail, added PETA.

The danger of hot cars is not exclusive to pets. Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash-related fatalities for children 14 and younger, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The temperature inside a car can be dangerously hot, even if the outside temperature feels relatively cool.