Krysten Ritter Is PETA’s Dark Angel For Animals In ‘Hot’ New Summer Campaign

Actor Urges Everyone to ‘Do Whatever It Takes’ to Make Sure Dogs Aren’t Left in Hot Cars

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2013

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Los Angeles — If you see a dog locked inside a hot car this summer, Krysten Ritter wants you to take action—no matter what. As temperatures across the country reach their peak, 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 busted window, clutching her rescued pup, 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 explained 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 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 to promote animal protection. 

Broadcast-quality footage of Ritter’s video interview can be downloaded here and previewed here. For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.