Most dog owners know how important it is to keep pets cool during the hot weather; but not as many people know exactly how to achieve this.
Easter Bank Holiday weekend saw temperatures reach the mid 20’s. Although this was blissful for some, the RSPCA experienced a flood of calls to their hotline reporting animals suffering from heat exposure.
The animal welfare charity received 166 emergency calls over Easter weekend (Friday 19 – Monday 22 April 2019), which is almost two calls every hour, the majority of which related to dogs being left in hot cars. Places like Surrey and Greater London experienced some of the warmest of temperatures which reflected in the number of calls that came from both counties in relation to animals and heat exposure: Surrey had seven calls and seventeen more came from Greater London.
As much as we love the hot weather gracing the UK, it’s so important to bear dogs in mind. Leaving your dog in a hot car is illegal and puts them at serious risk of dehydration, overheating or even death. If your dog becomes ill or the action results in fatality, you could be prosecuted for animal neglect, which carries a punishment of up to six months in custody or a hefty £20,000 fine.
Many owners believe that leaving the window open slightly or parking in the shade keeps the dog safe, however the RSPCA state that dogs are still very much at risk, and you would be putting them in a highly dangerous situation.
Here at PurrfectlyYappy.com, we know it’s hard to be ‘the perfect dog owner’. That’s why we have a ‘cooling’ section on our website to help dog owners find ways to keep their pooches cool in the hot weather! Here are some of our favourite products: