It’s that time of the year again! With recent hotter temps and sunny weather, we need to keep our pets safe from the heat!

As the temperature outside rises, be sure to follow these pet safety tips:

• Make sure your pets have plenty of water and shade. Pets wear their coats year-round and they don’t sweat to release heat like humans do, so they heat up much quicker than you and I.
• Limit physical activity on excessively hot or humid days and avoid peak hours of the day when the sun is highest, between 10 am and 2 pm. Try going for a walk earlier in the morning or later in the day when temperatures are cooler. ⁣
• Sidewalks and sand can be extremely hot on a sunny day, so be sure to keep your pets off hot surfaces until they cool down, or they could burn their sensitive paws. Their body temperature can also increase just from being closer to the ground.⁣
• Look out for signs of overheating like excessive panting or saliva, blue gums, fatigue and strange behavior.
• Don’t ever leave your pet in a car. The inside of a car gets extremely hot, even if the windows are partially open.
• If you see a pet in distress and you can’t find the owner, call 911 or take it to the nearest veterinarian.

Our pets can’t voice when they’re feeling overheated but we can do our part to help them stay safe and healthy!