The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) urges pet
owners to be
prepared because June 1st marks the first day of hurricane season. We
also
want to bring you a few tips about helping your pet survive the heat of
summer.
The HSUS offers the following tips for pet owners to
include in a pet
disaster plan:
* Do not leave your pets behind.
* Securely fasten a current identification tag to your
pet's collar and carry a
photograph of your pet. It's important to include the phone number of a
friend or
family member on the tag so anyone who may find your pet is able to
reach
someone who knows you.
* Transport pets in secure pet carriers and keep pets on
leashes or harnesses.
* Call hotels in a safe location and ask if you can
bring your pets. Ask the
manager if a no-pet policy can be lifted during the disaster. Most
emergency
shelters do not admit pets.
* Call friends, family members, veterinarians or
boarding kennels in a safe
location to arrange foster care if you and your pets cannot stay
together.
* Pack a week's supply of food, water and other
provisions, such as medication
or cat litter.
* Do not wait until the last minute to evacuate. Rescue
officials may not allow
you to take your pets if you need to be rescued.
* Keep a list of emergency phone numbers (veterinarian,
local animal control,
animal shelters, Red Cross, etc.).
For safety from the summer heat, we offer the following
tips:
* Pets do not sweat to keep cool as humans do. Therefore
it is a must to
provide shade throughout the day. Installing a fan or mister on a shaded
porch
can prevent heatstroke in companion animals. As your pet ages, he may
have
less tolerance for heat. And of course, pets inside air conditioned
houses are
the safest.
* Fresh water should be constantly available. Beware of
the shift of the sun --
what is in the shade before you go to work, may not be in the shade
during the
hot afternoon. A child's wading pool filled with fresh water daily can
be a great
place to cool hot paws.
* When it's 78 degrees in the shade, a closed car can
rise to 90 degrees in 5
minutes in direct sunlight. A dog left in a car, even with the windows
open, can
die of heatstroke, in a matter of minutes. Even if the dog lives, brain
damage is
probable. Ten thousand dogs and cats die in parked cars every year. Even
in
relatively mild weather, with the windows partially rolled down, the
inside
temperature of a car can reach 120 degrees within 20 - 30 minutes. Leave
your
pets home in hot weather or have someone wait with them in the car with
the air
conditioner running. If you see a pet in distress in a car, call
authorities
immediately.
* Your dog may stay with you out of loyalty when you are
sun bathing and get
heatstroke. Be sure to provide shade. Be especially aware of dogs
chained
in yards. The chain may wrap around something that keeps the dog stuck
out
in the sun. If the dog tips the water bowl over, will he be without
water all day?
* Exercise your pet in the early morning or evening
hours when the temperature
is lower. Start a pet's exercise program gradually and make sure they
are in
good health before starting the program.
* When traveling from one part of the country to another
-- take into account
the temperature changes.
* Many pets drown each year in backyard swimming pools.
Be especially
watchful of young kittens and puppies around the pool. Teach your dog
how to
get out of your pool by placing the dog in the pool with you and gently
guiding it
to the steps. Do this over and over until the dog can find its way out
of the pool
without your help. Review this lesson every summer. You can do this with
cats
too. Don't assume your pet knows how to swim. If you take your pet to
the
lake or out on a boat, consider getting it a pet life vest. These vests
are available
in multiple sizes and can save your pet's life.
* Heatstroke signs are rapid breathing, staring
expression, high pulse rate, and
high body temperature. A dog may pant incessantly, chomp on saliva until
it
forms bubbles, eyes may glaze, staggering, weakness and collapse. There
may be vomiting and excessive activity. Move dog to cooler place and
apply ice
packs to head and neck area, hose with cool water, or immerse in water,
wrap
in wet towels -- anything to bring down the temperature as quickly as
possible.
Massaging legs to get blood flowing can also help. If a thermometer is
available,
take temperature every 5 minutes. Your goal is to bring the dog's
temperature
down to 103 degrees. By checking temperature frequently, you can avoid
letting temperature drop too low, which can happen quickly. Take the
animal
to the vet promptly for further treatment.
Email:
[email protected]
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