In increasingly warm weather, the best way to keep your dog safe and healthy is to leave him or her at home when you shop or run errands, according to Clark County Animal Control and Protection.
Dogs and cats have no sweat glands to cool them, so even a short time unattended in a vehicle can be life-threatening. Temperatures inside a car can reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit on a mildly warm day, even when parked in the shade with the windows open slightly.
As the temperature outside goes up, the temperature inside a vehicle becomes dangerous more and more quickly. Heatstroke can lead to brain damage or death in pets in as little as 15 minutes.
In hot weather, even open, metal beds of pickups can be dangerously hot and burn the pads of your dog’s paws.
For your pet’s health and safety, leave your dog at home when you go out. Be sure to leave him or her in a secure location with plenty of drinking water and a shady or cool place to rest. Then he or she will be happy to go for a walk with you in the cooler morning or evening temperatures.
If you see an animal that is not properly cared for, please call Animal Control at (360) 397-2488.
For more information on pets in hot weather, to go www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/pets_safe_heat_wave.html.
