General and Seasonal Tips for Pet Owners

General Summer Safety Tips

Kansas Humane Society Issues Tips on Keeping Pets Safe this Summer

The Kansas Humane Society recommends following these safety tips regarding heat, fireworks and other situations to keep Wichita’s pets safe throughout the summer.

• Do not bring pets to a firework display. The loud, sudden and confusing movements and noises of fireworks, unknown people and a strange environment could scare your pet, causing him to panic and try to escape the confines of a leash, yard or even the house. Animals upset by fireworks can run miles away, winding up confused, disoriented, exhausted, and lost. Leave him at home where he feels safe and secure.

• Keep pets in a quiet and isolated room with covered windows or windowless basement during 4th of July festivities. Turn on a radio, TV or fan to muffle the sound of fireworks. They’ll provide soothing indoor sounds and may help soothe your pet if it must be alone on this noisy holiday. Or have someone stay at home with him, providing distractions by playing with him or doing something he enjoys.

• Make sure your pet (whether a cat or dog) is wearing a highly visible collar, an identification tag with your current phone number and address, and a current license/rabies tag. If your pet does panic during fireworks and runs off, this will help get your pet back to you quickly.

• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their firework fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.

• Never leave a pet in a parked car, even if the windows are open. Pets cool themselves by panting rather than perspiring. In ten minutes, the temperature inside the car could reach 160 degrees, hot enough to cause a panting dog to suffer heat stroke and permanent brain damage.

• Exercise your dog in the early morning or late evening hours, instead of during the middle of the day when it’s the hottest. Asphalt and concrete can get very hot and may raise your pet’s body temperature dangerously high or burn the pads of your pet’s feet.

• Provide your pet with fresh, cool drinking water at least twice a day. If your pet must be outside, make sure he has access to plenty of shade all day long. Remember that shade in the morning may not be in the same place in the afternoon. A durable wading pool filled with cool water can also provide heat relief and be a source of amusement for some dog breeds.

• Don’t let your dog ride in the back of an open vehicle, like a pick-up truck. If you have to stop or turn suddenly, your dog could jump or be tossed out of the moving vehicle, risking serious injury and death. Leashing your dog to the bed is also not recommended as, if your pet is tossed out of the bed, strangulation could occur. In addition, truck beds often conduct enough heat to burn paws or cause sunstroke. The safest alternative is to allow your dog to ride inside the cab or leave him at home. If your pet must travel in the back of an open vehicle put him inside a crate to give him protection from wind and weather and tether the crate to the truck bed’s walls where it won’t slide.

Reprinted courtesy of The American Humane Association

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