Purrs 4 Peace Week 43 Announcement: Just Say No to Leaving Pets in Parked Cars

"The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them, that's the essence of inhumanity." ~ George Bernard Shaw, Irish Playwright and Essayist

Spring is here. The hot weather is coming. Indeed, in the southern U.S. temperatures are already in the 80s. This sunny and warm weather is beautiful. It brings with it gorgeous flowers to smell, picnics, long walks…and a myriad of other wonderful experiences. But one of the cruel side effects of this weather is those humans who don’t seem to realize…or don’t care…about the dangers of leaving animals locked in a parked car on a sunny day.

Last weekend for example on Tybee Island, near where we live, my human aunt was working on renovations to a house on a lovely day that was in the upper 70s when she and a friend noticed a family park their car, get out (parents and kids) take their family dog, BUT leave their cat inside with one window exhibiting the barest of cracks.

After some minutes of distress over this cat my human aunt and friend found the family and confronted them about their cruelty and force them to take their cat out of the car or the authorities would be called. Outside working in the sun, it was extremely hot for the humans. A cat left to bake in that car could have been dead by the time they returned voluntarily.

Even mild days can be dangerous. I have read accounts of a dog who died in Albany, N.Y. when locked in a car on a sunny 67 degree day. Some humans don’t seem to get it that inside a parked car temperatures can climb in just a matter of minutes. Experiments indicate that on a mild 73ºF day, the temperature inside a car can reach 120ºF in 30 minutes. Adding to the danger, dogs and cat are unable to cool themselves as effectively as humans. Heatstroke therefore can come on quickly causing brain damage or death.

This week let us purr that this year humans will finally gain the insight, knowledge, and caring to STOP the torture of the animals who love them. Purr to prevent locking our canine and feline brethren in parked cars.

Week 43 of Purrs 4 Peace details are as follows:

Week forty-three’s appointed time is Sunday, April 11, 2010.

Participants should purr for three minutes commencing at 3 p.m. Eastern (U.S.) which is 8:00 p.m. (20:00 hrs.) in the U.K.

The cat’s human staff should assist their cats with the project by stroking and nuzzling the cat at the appointed time.

Please post your cat name and the country you purr in at www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com as a COMMENT if you are participating in this historic project. (posting a link to your own website-if you have one-is encouraged.) Or let me know by message on twitter or facebook.

Posting purrs on facebook ( Acolytes of Confucius Cat or as friend to Alley Mason) and twitter (@ConfuciusCat) is encouraged, since it inspires purring in others, but not required. On twitter please use #purrs4peace in your tweets.

Peace * Paix * Frieden * Vrede * Pace * Paz * Shalom * Salaam *Om Shanti * Heddwch * Siochan