We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer with our furry companions, but these warm temperatures can be harmful to our pet’s health. Hot cars are especially dangerous!

Please don’t leave your pets in the car… even for short errands. At 75°F outside, the inside of your car can reach 120°F in as little as 30 minutes – even with your windows open!

If you see an unattended pet in a hot car and need help, please call Boulder Animal Protection at (303) 441-3333.

Here are some other tips to keep the pets in your life happy and healthy during your fun summer plans:

1. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun when they are outside, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot!
2. Always keep fresh, cool water available for your pet. Take it a step further and help your community cats by leaving water bowls out for them, too!
3. Learn the signs of heat stress and stroke. Knowing the early signs can be lifesaving on hot summer days! Watch for these signs of overheating:
   • Excessive panting or difficulty breathing
   • Increased heart and respiratory rate
   • Drooling
   • Mild weakness stupor or even collapse
   • Seizures
   • Bloody diarrhea and vomit
   • Elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees
4. If your pet begins showing signs of heat exhaustion, immediately cover the animal with a cool (not icy cold), wet towel until their body temperature lowers, keep the animal’s feet cool and moist, give them small amounts of water to drink and consult with a veterinarian immediately to determine if additional treatment is needed.
5. Pets with flat faces (e.g., Pugs, Bulldogs, and Persian cats) are more sensitive to heat because of their anatomy and have a lower tolerance for heat exposure. Keep these pets in a cool, air conditioned room as much as possible.
6. Keep your pet’s paw pads safe by using booties during walks. Test the sidewalk yourself – place your hand on the pavement for 10 seconds, if it is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for bare paws!
7. Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool – not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from their fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Want to help spread the word to keep pets safe? Download our “Some Like It Hot, Your Pet Does Not” poster.