Charleston Animal Society is issuing a heat alert for all companion and working animals. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Lowcountry due to heat index values climbing as high as 112 degrees. According to the University of Kentucky, heat stress will reach the "emergency" level during daytime hours throughout this week.
WORKING ANIMALS
The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture has developed a weather heat-stress index for livestock that can be referenced by ZIP code. Weather conditions each day this week in Charleston are expected to reach the "emergency" level.
To check conditions:
- Go to Weather.uky.edu.
- Enter your ZIP code.
- Click on "AgWeather Forecast."
- Scroll down to see "Livestock Heatstress."
Charleston Animal Society is urging caretakers of working animals, such as horses and mules, working dogs, farm animals, service animals and others, to minimize work and offer increased water and rest to avoid heat-related stress that could endanger the animals.
“Forcing animals to work in this high heat, coupled with the urban environmental stress, is dangerous, especially when there is an objective, science-based source that provides these warnings,” Charleston Animal Society President and CEO Joe Elmore said.
COMPANION ANIMALS
Heat stress also affects companion animals such as dogs and cats. Keep animals indoors and limit outdoor activities during this round of heat. People are urged to leave pets at home and not take them to the beach or other events. Even while swimming, a dog can overheat.
“Don’t leave pets in cars — even for a quick run into a store — it is just too dangerous,” Elmore said. “Please don’t take them to the beach or park when temperatures are this high. Instead, take them in the early morning hours before 8 a.m.”
Cracking a window does not work. Cracking the windows in a vehicle makes little to no difference in lowering the temperature inside. On a hot day, the temperature in a vehicle can exceed 120 degrees within 20 minutes, which can be fatal to a pet.
If you see a pet in a locked car, call 911. When a pet is outdoors, it should always have access to water.
Pets should also have a shady place to escape the sun if outside, and they should never linger on hot asphalt during periods of extreme heat. This can cause an animal to heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn.