Chris Perez is raising awareness for pet safety…

The 52-year-old Mexican American guitarist, songwriter and author has joined PETA‘s new campaign to remind people that animals can die of heatstroke inside parked cars in as little as 15 minutes.

“That connection I feel with dogs is something special to me. I consider them as part of the family,” says the former Selena y Los Dinos guitarist and Selena Quintanilla’s husband in the clip. “When I hear about a dog [who] gets left in a car, it’s really upsetting. It’s sad. It happens so fast.”

In the one-minute video, he also encouraged pet owners to take the right measurements or leave them at home.

For more information, visit www.peta.org.