Being left in a car without air conditioning is like being trapped in an oven with no way out, waiting for your demise. It’s a terrifying thought, but this is what could happen if you leave a child or pet in the car because of how fast the temperature can climb. According to Heat kills, a website about the dangers of leaving living beings in the car states: “At 70 degrees on a sunny day, after a half hour, the temperature inside a car is 104 degrees.” That’s just on a day when it is 70 degrees, it can be even more dangerous on hotter summer days. There are ways to prevent this, yet it is still happening across the world.

Well, how can someone leave a living being in the car? It’s simple: they are too focused on their to do list for the day ahead and forget or they simply do not know the risks. That is why we have to educate guardians and animal owners on the topic. There are so many diseases we can not prevent, but this is one thing you can control when it comes to keeping your loved ones safe. While I can see how someone can simply forget, I do not think it should ever happen. You should always put the safety of your loved ones first, and push the list of things to do away for a second. Pay attention to them when they are under your watch and do your best to make sure they are safe.

If you see a dog or a child left in the car unattended with the air conditioning off, you should take action immediately.

According to The Humane Society of the United States, you should carry out the following steps:

“Take down the car’s make, model and license plate number. If there are businesses nearby, notify their managers or security guards and ask them to make an announcement to find the car’s owner. Many people are unaware of the danger of leaving pets in hot cars and will quickly return to their vehicle once they are alerted to the situation. If the owner can’t be found, call the non-emergency number of the local police or animal control and wait by the car for them to arrive.”

Everyone gets busy, but you should make sure to never forget an animal in the car. Set a reminder on your phone or even a sticky note because it is so important to not leave an animal in the car because they can suffer and die a painful death just like a person.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, you should always take action if you see a child alone in the car.

“Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations, and they’d much rather respond to a false alarm than a fatality.”

Every once in awhile I hear in the news that a child has been left in the car and died, and I’m alway affected by these reports. My mom watches kids for a living, and just imagining one of them being left in the car breaks my heart. Like mentioned earlier, there are so many things that you can’t prevent from happening when it comes to your child, but this is one thing you can. The risk of potentially hurting or even killing your child can leave you with guilt and sorrow for the rest of your life.

If you see a child or animal in the car alone, you should always contact someone to get help because if you don’t that could possibly be their last day alive. Imagine a pet owner running into the store for 15 minutes to get a few items, and returns to find out that someone has saved their beloved dog. Or a mother who is rushed and forgets to drop her child off at daycare before going to do errands. Relief floods into her as she runs to her child, promising to never abandon them again. You could save a life.