Keep your pets safe during the warm weather

With summer heating up, King County Animal Care and Control Officers are watching for animals left unattended in sweltering cars. Officers urge pet owners to take extra precautions to keep their furry friends healthy and safe this week and weekend, especially when traveling in the car. Warm weather poses a number of dangers for pets that can quickly turn fatal.

This summer, King County has rescued several pets from cars on hot days. Last Friday, Federal Way police and King County Animal Care and Control rescued three dogs from a broken down, abandoned car. Although the morning hours had been cool, by mid-afternoon the dogs were seriously distressed and had dug furiously into the car floor trying to escape.

“Direct sunlight against a car that is not adequately ventilated can be deadly for animals in a matter of minutes,” said Al Dams, King County Animal Care and Control Acting Manager. “Unless your travel plans include taking your pets out of the car, your pet will be happier and safer left at home.”

Don’t forget the following tips to protect your pets in warm weather:

1. Never leave pets in parked vehicles for any length of time. On a warm day, the temperature in a vehicle can reach 120 degrees within minutes, even with the windows cracked. Dogs and cats do not perspire and can only dispel heat by panting and through the pads of their feet. Animals left in parked cars on warm days can suffer brain damage and die from heatstroke.
2. Outdoors, provide plenty of water and shade for your pets so they can stay cool and hydrated during the warm weather.
3. If you have a pool, prevent free access to the pool by your pets. Even pets that can swim face a drowning risk because they may not be able to get out of pools with slick or high sides unassisted, which can cause them to panic and get fatigued.
4. Spay or neuter your unaltered dog. The number of dog bites increases during warm weather. Along with providing many health benefits, spaying or neutering reduces the likelihood that your dog will wander or bite.
5. Make sure your pet is licensed. If you are separated from your pet, a current King County pet license will ensure your animal is returned to you. Not only will you be notified if your lost pet is found, your pet will get a free ride home the first time it is impounded.
6. Be careful with the use of fertilizers and other products around the lawn and garden where pets roam. Plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides can be fatal if your pet ingests them.
7. Though pets need exercise during warm weather, take extra care when exercising older dogs, short-nosed dogs, and dogs with thick coats. On hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours when temperatures are coolest. Remember that asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws.
8. Summer is flea and tick season, so make sure to use a flea and tick treatment recommended by your veterinarian.

Citizens who see an animal in a parked car or pets otherwise in need of assistance can call King County Animal Care and Control at 206-296-PETS (7387) or dial 911.