Urgent From PETA: Hot-Weather Survival Tips for Animals

For Immediate Release:
July 6, 2018

Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382

Los Angeles –

With an excessive heat warning in effect and high temperatures forecast for the rest of the summer, animals—who can quickly succumb to heatstroke if left outdoors—are at risk. Already this year, there have been at least 32 hot weather–related animal deaths—and these are just the ones that have been reported. Most aren’t.

PETA has released a warm-weather public service announcement featuring Mckenna Grace. For more information, visit PETA.org.

Anyone who leaves animals outside to suffer in severe weather may be prosecuted for cruelty.

The following tips will help keep animal companions safe in hot weather:

Keep animals indoors. Unlike humans, dogs can sweat only through their footpads and cool themselves by panting, so even brief sun exposure can have life-threatening consequences. Anyone who sees animals in distress and is unable to help should note their locations and alert authorities immediately.
Never leave an animal inside a hot vehicle. Temperatures can quickly soar in parked cars, and a dog trapped inside can die from heatstroke within minutes—even if the car is in the shade with the windows slightly open. PETA offers an emergency window-breaking hammer for help intervening in life-or-death situations.
Avoid hot pavement. When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s, asphalt temperatures can climb to 140 degrees, causing pain, burns, and permanent damage to dogs’ paws after just a few minutes of contact. Walk dogs on grass whenever possible, and avoid walking in the middle of the day. Never run with dogs in hot weather—they’ll collapse before giving up, at which point, it may be too late to save them.

Law-enforcement officials across the country are also warning people of the dangers of hot weather. “Every year, we alert people to the danger of leaving children or pets inside cars in the summer,” says Chief of Police James R. Kruger Jr. from Oak Brook, Illinois. “The temperature inside a vehicle climbs approximately 43 degrees in just an hour. The loss of a defenseless animal in this manner is avoidable and should never happen. There is no reason to take your pet out in extreme heat without adequate air conditioning and water.”