Police Dept. offers tips to keep pets safe in the heat | News

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) - The Poplar Bluff Police Department is offering some hot weather tips to keep your pets safe.

Police say when temperatures and heat soar, pet owners are advised to take special precautions to keep pets safe. High temperatures can be deadly for pets left without a cool, shady place to rest and plenty of water.

They offer these tips:

• Never leave a pet unattended in a parked car when the temperature is more than 70 degrees. When it’s 72 degrees outside, a car’s temperature can rocket to 116 degrees, even with the windows cracked. When it is 85 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 120 degrees in minutes. Leaving a pet in a hot, unattended car is inhumane, illegal and can cause severe injury or even death within minutes. 
• Act immediately if you see a distressed animal in an unattended car. Call the Poplar Bluff Police Department.  A pet showing signs of distress such as heavy panting, unresponsive behavior, seizure or collapse needs IMMEDIATE attention.
• Be certain outdoor pets have access to fresh, clean water at all times. Secure plastic water bowls, never metal, to the ground so your pet can't accidentally tip them over. You can dig a small round hole and place the water bowls inside.
• Ensure that your pet has access to shade at all times of the day. Your dog might be in the shade when you leave for work, but the sunlight moves throughout the day. Don't allow your pet to be stranded in the scorching sun.
• If you run or jog with you dog, take frequent water breaks for yourself and your dog. Remember that asphalt and concrete get hot quickly. You have rubber soles on your feet--your dog does not. On hot days, leave your dog at home.
• Do not bicycle or rollerblade with a pet. Heat stroke and possible death can occur very quickly, particularly in hot weather.
• When the weather is dangerously hot, keep pets inside.
• If your pet is showing signs of heat exhaustion (excessive panting, vomiting, lethargic behavior), right away begin applying cold water to your pet's extremities. See your veterinarian immediately!
• During the summer, mosquitoes are prevalent. Make sure your pet is tested by a veterinarian for heartworm disease (a mosquito-transmitted, often fatal disease) and begin heartworm prevention medication.

To report an animal in jeopardy, you can call the Poplar Bluff Police Department at 573-785-5776.

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