Keep your pets safe from summer heat

JACKSON, Tenn. — As summer creeps in closer on West Tennessee, remember — if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your dog.

“Every summer, we get between 10 to 12 calls from people saying, ‘Hey, I need you to come pick up my dog,'” Animal Control officer Whitney Owen said.

Every year, pet owners are reminded to take their pets inside when it gets hot, but not everyone listens.

“Everybody around here seems to think ‘it’s an animal, it’s geared to live outside,'” Owen said. “But that was hundreds of years ago, before we domesticated the wolf.”

Owen says if you must leave your pet outside, they need shade and fresh water at all times.

And before you take your dog on a walk, check the temperature.

One tip is to use the five-second rule — if you can’t place the back of your hand on concrete for more than five seconds, then it’s too hot to walk your dog.

But leaving pets outside in extreme heat is just part of the problem.

Owen says leaving your pet in a hot car poses an even greater risk.

“On a 90-degree day, the temperature in a car can reach to 150 to 160 degrees in 20 minutes,” Owen said.

Back in 2015, a law was passed that allows Tennesseans to break into cars if they see an animal trapped inside.

“So if your dog or cat is in your car and appears to be distressed, a stranger off the street can walk up, smash your window and pull your dog out to try and render medical aid,” Owen said.

And when it comes to playtime outdoors, pet owner Steve Hiscox says moderation is best.

“I bring a thermos with ice water,” he said. “Her outdoor time, especially when it is approaching 90 degrees, is limited.”

Another tip to keep your pet healthy during the summer is to check him or her daily for ticks after being outdoors.