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I can鈥檛 believe I have to write this column.

I can鈥檛 believe I have to say such obvious things.

But here we are.

I鈥檓 responding to a Facebook comment that got posted under our story about the tragic death of a toddler in Burnaby after being left in a hot car.

We posted the story and said that this was another reminder to be more vigilant.

Somebody responded that it was up to the media to 鈥渆ducate鈥� people about leaving children in hot cars.

The problem I have with that comment is what 鈥渆ducation鈥� do I need to offer? Do I really need to find some sort of university study about the dangers of an infant sitting in an overheated vehicle?

I鈥檓 sure those studies are out there, but this isn鈥檛 about providing scientific information to people about how extreme heat can harm a tiny human being.

This is about common sense. Now before you get your torches and pitchforks, I鈥檓 not talking specifically about what happened in Burnaby recently. I don鈥檛 know what happened in this case 鈥� I鈥檒l wait to hear more from the Burnaby RCMP.

I鈥檓 just writing generally about the issue of leaving living beings in hot vehicles. We see this all of the time. Parents who are 鈥渏ust going into the store for a minute鈥� leave their kids in a hot vehicle.听

And I鈥檓 going to go further with this missive by also talking about all living beings, including animals.

Just recently in Victoria a woman was charged after her Boston terrier died in a hot vehicle.

I read that and I thought, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe I have to write an article about something that is so obvious.鈥�

I mean, it鈥檚 just common sense that a child and an animal will suffer in extreme heat.

The BC SPCA talks about the issue of dogs and the fact they can鈥檛 release heat by sweating. Please see the video below if you really don鈥檛 understand all of this obvious stuff.

It just makes me so angry. I really don鈥檛 want to have to tell people to not do such obviously dumb things, but here we are in 2019 doing it because living beings are still dying.

So there, I did it. Hopefully people listen.

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.

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