We take precautions to make sure our families and children are safe during hot weather.
We make sure that we drink enough water, apply enough sunscreen, and keep as cool as we can.
But you have to take those same precautions for dogs too. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is warning people to make sure pets are safe as temperatures rise after a dog died of heat stroke.
The 5-year-old dog was reported to be “fit and healthy” before he died during a walk when temperatures in the UK soared past 30 C for five days in a row.
The organization got more than 729 calls about animals being left in hot spaces.
“This morning we were informed a local dog died of heat stroke after being taken on a walk at 9 am when the temperature was 21 degrees,” the RSPCA Altrincham Cheshire Branch said in a statement.
The RSPCA submitted several warnings as temperatures began to rise but they still saw people walking their dogs during the hottest times of the day.
“The dog was otherwise fit and healthy. Despite lots of warnings about the heat we still see dogs being walked to the shops, on the school run, or as soon as owners get in from work,” the RSPCA said.
“Yesterday the highest temperature for the day was at 4 pm but this is when most of the dogs we spotted were out and about. It does not matter if your dog is white, young, not a bull breed or ‘used to the heat’. Please be mindful of its needs.”
Heat stroke occurs when your dog’s body temperature rises to dangerously high levels. It can occur when a dog is left in a car or when they exercise.
Make sure to never leave your dog in a hot car, even if the window is cracked.
Ceasar’s Way advises that you should walk your dog during cooler times of day and to stop and sit in the shade. Don’t muzzle your dog because you can prevent it from panting.
If you think your dog may be suffering from heat stroke, you should try and gradually bring its temperature down.
You can do this by dousing them in cool, not cold water, and giving them a little bit to drink until their breathing begins to stabilize.
“We do understand the crucial nature of walking your dog, however, please bear in mind that walking in high temperatures can cause serious and irreversible damage, and in some cases death,” the RSPCA said.
