Safety Tips for the Dog Days of Summer
For many pets and their families, summer is a wonderful time of year. It can mean family vacations with exciting travel, exploring the great outdoors, walks, chilling out on the back porch, and maybe the occasional scrap of food from a cookout.
Unfortunately, summer can also mean danger if we’re not careful.
Keep in mind the following safety tips as summer continues to heat up in Central Ohio:
1) DO NOT leave your pet in a vehicle.
Even on days when the outdoor temperature is only in the 70s, the interior temperature of a vehicle can soar to almost 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Cracking a window doesn’t provide ample protection for our companions to stay cool.
2) Limit walks to early morning or late evening.
Paws are vulnerable to sidewalk temperatures that, during the daytime sunlight, can easily exceed 130 degrees. This poses a serious burn risk.
3) Do not leave your pet outdoors.
While it’s necessary for periodic potty breaks, being outdoors for a long time is dangerous. Our furry family members have different cooling systems than we do and being exposed to summer heat can cause them to experience heat stress, injury, or death in a remarkably short time.
4) Ensure plenty of fresh, clean water is available.
Just as we need water as we’re exposed to heat, pets do too.
Hopefully by following these simple tips, and by sharing them with other pet families, this summer will be a happy and healthy season!