The Leader Of The Pack Speaks

The temperatures have already peaked over 100 degrees and the summertime heat can be dangerous for pets, even fatal. You have to take extra care in these extreme conditions to ensure your pets are comfortable and safe, including dogs, cats, horses, and any other pets we parent.

Therefore, in this issue, Jeremy shares his Summertime Safety tips and Alison shares her Dog Days of Summer pet treat recipes. And for those who have horses, remember that they require 15+ gallons of water during hot days. Be sure to provide fresh, cool water with an electrolyte source, opportunities for rest and shade to avoid over exhaustion and sunburn, and know the signs of heatstroke. Did you know that feeding horses corn, alfalfa, and oats actually produces more heat and will make your horse feel even hotter?

It’s also Kitten season, and summertime heat doesn’t help an already dire situation of overpopulation. With one or more litters of kittens delivered every day, all of our shelters are reaching out for help from fosters and volunteers. Bonnie shares with us in her special feature, How to Become a Kitten Season Superhero!

In our cover story and throughout this issue, Rebecca highlights how Adoption and Rescue changes the lives of the people who adopt. I especially love our cover dog Charlie, who’s the face of millions of rescued and adopted pets, and not just because her DNA test came back with 21 different breeds. She has a bit of everything, from Mastiff to Chihuahua! Charlie was adopted in 2021 from a rescue in Tennessee during the familiar struggles of quarantine, loneliness, and location change. Sara Leopold, Charlie’s mom, said, “Charlie has changed my life in so many ways. She teaches me to be more patient and more present on a daily basis.” Eight months after Charlie was adopted, Sara moved across the country from North Carolina to Arizona for school. “I think I would have had a very hard time making the move all by myself, but with Charlie making the journey with me, and watching her thrive in Tucson, she has made the transition exciting rather than scary. She has also helped me make friends in Tucson. I would not know my neighbors if it wasn’t for everyone wanting to meet Charlie.”

Charlie represents not only how adopting a pet turns you into a superhero, especially to them, but we magically grasp the positive effects adoption has on our everyday lives, our perspective of others, our health, even how others see and treat us. Pets even spur us into new interests we wouldn’t have otherwise ventured into. Through pet adoption, people often gain insight into social responsibility, community service, and compassionate care of animals.

Thank you to our animal-loving community for supporting The Tucson Dog Magazine. Please take care of your beloved pets during the heat of the summer and the tumultuous noise of the celebration. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Yours,

Heather McShea

Owner, Publisher & Editor in Chief