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Heat Safety Tips For Pets

Temperatures are rising in the Valley of the Sun, and this summer promises to be another scorcher. Make sure you know the warning signs that your pet might be in distress. By recognizing what our four-legged friends need during these hot summer months, we can keep them happy, safe, and healthy.

• Chaining or tethering your dog outside is dangerous. The Valley’s scorching summer temps turn deadly quickly, and tethered dogs can easily become tangled, trapped without water, food, or shelter.

• The asphalt on Arizona’s Valley streets can reach up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months. With temperatures regularly reaching 115° in Phoenix, it’s no wonder pavement burn is a real danger in the southwest between June, July, and August each year. Once outside temperatures surpass 95°, the risk of pavement burn increases for bare skin contact, including our pets’ paws! Do the “touch-test” by holding your foot on the pavement for 7 seconds, if it’s too hot for bare feet, it’s too hot for paws. Being mindful of hot asphalt, sidewalks, and desert sand (often found on hiking trails), and remaining indoors during the hottest hours of the day, you can help your pet avoid potential third-degree burns that require medical treatment and possible surgery.

• Every year, children and animals tragically die when they are left in hot cars. One death is too many, and the Good Samaritan aims to end hot-car deaths. Your car can become a deadly oven in just minutes. It takes just minutes for temperatures inside your car to rise to extremely dangerous levels. Even on a cool day, temperatures can become deadly.

To learn more about heat safety for animals: Visit azhumane.org

Submitted by Tara Rutkowski, Realtor and Estrella Resident