‘Heat Kills’: Chained Dog’s Heatstroke Death Prompts Urgent PETA Ad
Hot-Weather Billboard Advises Everyone to Keep Dogs Out of the Heat and Safely Indoors
For Immediate Release:
August 1, 2017
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Amid reports that a dog in Gates County suffered and died of heatstroke as a result of being kept chained in the blistering sun with no water or shade, PETA put up a billboard proclaiming, “Heat Can Kill. Take Dogs Indoors,” at the intersection of U.S. Route 13 and U.S. Route 158 to remind everyone to keep dogs inside during high temperatures—and never to chain or pen them, which can be deadly.
“Chains, pens, and high temperatures are a lethal cocktail for dogs,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA’s billboard will serve as a crucial reminder to everyone to keep dogs indoors with the rest of the family.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—notes that dogs cannot effectively release body heat, and as heatstroke sets in and their organs begin to shut down, they may experience panic, lethargy, loss of coordination, vomiting, internal hemorrhage, and brain damage. If you see dogs exhibiting any of these signs, you can lower their body temperature by giving them water, applying a cool towel to their head and chest, or immersing them in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.
PETA’s warm-weather public service announcement featuring Simon Cowell is available to download here, and PETA’s “Too Hot for Spot” public service announcement is available here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
