Elisabetta Canalis stars in new PETA TV ad

(CBS News) Italian actress and model Elisabetta Canalis stars in a new PETA TV spot in which  she wakes up to find herself trapped in a car during the summer. The commercial warns viewers of the dangers of leaving pets in the car on a hot day.

Canalis is seen sweating and gasping for air as she struggles to unlock the doors until she finally collapses.

"Dogs can suffer from heatstroke and die in a matter of minutes when left in a car on a warm day," the ad explains. "In the summer, leave your dog at home."

"It's very important if you see a dog unattended inside a car that you don't leave the situation," Canalis told PETA in an interview. "If it's too hot for us, it's definitely too hot for our dogs."

Canalis is a part of a long list of celebrities, including Lea Michele, Paul McCartney and Charlize Theron, who have teamed up with PETA to promote animal protection.

Check out the video below.