Keep Pets Cool in Extreme Heat

If you think you’re hot in this heat, consider how your pets are feeling. Suzanne Crider, from the Starke County Humane Society, reminds us about pet care during extremely hot weather.

“They dehydrate just like we do,” she said. “They need an adequate supply of water, shade if at all possible, but water is the very most important thing. If you have livestock, you need to have some kind of salt block because when they get dehydrated, they need salt the same way people do. If you use some common sense, and if you think about what would make you comfortable, that will usually translate right to your animal.”

Suzanne reminds us not to keep dogs in a hot car.

“There was a dog in Knox a couple of weeks ago that the police were called about and by the time they got the car open, the dog had died. There was nothing they could do for it. I went to lend assistance. They left the dog in the car and cracked the window a couple inches and went into the establishment where they were at and didn’t think they’d be in there for very long. Because of not thinking of that, the dog died. If you just stop and think, when you get in your car after its been parked and how hot it is, you can’t hardly tolerate it sometimes. The lady had children. I’m just glad she didn’t leave her children with the dogs.”