Cars no place for pets in summer
The weather is so hot, it is very important not to leave your pet in your vehicle, even for a few minutes. Dogs can overheat more quickly than we humans can. The best method for treating heat stroke is prevention; learn to watch your dog and know the signs. Symptoms include rapid, frantic panting, wide eyes, thick saliva, bright red tongue, vomiting, staggering, diarrhea and coma. Heat stroke is deadly and needs to be taken seriously. Yes, it is an emergency! You need to try to cool the dog immediately and get it to your veterinarian. You can cool the dog using the water hose or submerging the dog in a cool bath. But don’t mess around; get your dog to the vet!
Prevention is the key.
Never, ever leave your dog in a parked car! Not even for a few minutes! Heat inside a parked car can build, in just a few short minutes, to as much as 40 degrees above the outside temperature. For instance, on an 80 Fahrenheit day, temperatures in a parked car can reach 120 F in as little as 10 minutes, especially if the car is in the sun. Leaving the windows cracked helps very little and that’s only f there’s a breeze. Factor in humidity and the dog doesn’t have a snowball’s chance!
For outside dogs, provide shade, ventilation, awading pool and cool drinking water. Keep in mind that shade moves as the Earth rotates.
Make sure water containers are large enough to supply water at all times and secure so they cannot be turned over.
Make sure that tied dogs cannot wind their tether around something, preventing access to water. Caution: Chains will wrap around themselves and shorten when the dog runs in circles.
Crate only in a wire crate.
Clip heavy-coated dogs to a one-inch length. Leave one inch for insulation and protection against sunburn.
Allow dogs unaccustomed to warm weather, several days to acclimate.
Do not exercise your dog on hot days.
Take precautions for dogs when the heat index reaches 75 F. The single most frequent cause for heat stroke in dogs is overheating in a parked car. If this article accomplishes nothing else, I hope it educates readers on the importance of leaving Buddy home, not only on hot days but on warm days as well. Read more at Suite101: Dogs and Heat Stroke: Understanding the Risks of Overheating at http://dogs.suite101.com/article.cfm/dogs_and_heat_stroke#ixzz0tC1OPwuI.
There are many misconceptions about the Central Aroostook Humane Society and Maine shelters in general — what is common practice and what is not. Each shelter is different; ours is privately owned by our Board of Directors, some are owned by the towns or other private entities. All shelters in Maine are required by law to keep stray dogs seven days and cats for 48 hours (72 if the cat has a collar or ID). After their time is up, the shelter becomes the owner of the animal, giving the shelter the responsibility of being sure the dog or cat is safe and healthy enough to place in a home and finding an appropriate home for the animal. It is up to the shelter to decide what happens to the animal.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society does not euthanize animals for “no reason” or for space; if an animal is suffering or dangerous, it is our responsibility to give the animal a humane ending. We do not take this responsibility lightly; one lawsuit could be the end of us helping other animals forever. Our policy at CAHS is to not adopt out a dog who is a known biter, and that is one of the most common policies shelters around the state share. Another common policy is to screen potential owners and to require potential owners’ pets be up to date on vaccinations and altered. Not all shelters share the same policies, but all shelters must and do abide by State of Maine Animal Welfare Laws which can be found online at the following address: www.maine.gov/agriculture/aw/documents/2006ANIMALWELFARELAWBOOK.pdf.
We work very hard to keep both previous owner and adopter’s names confidential. If you surrender a dog or cat, the person adopting that animal will not be given your name. Also, if someone wants to know who adopted their cat or dog, we will not give out their name. We do this to ensure the safety of the public and the animal. If you bring in a stray animal and want to know medical information or adoption information, that too is confidential information and we are under no obligation to share that information with you. Bottom line is that the animal belongs to the humane society; we have its best interest at heart or we wouldn’t be doing what we do.
Unfortunately, all too often we have people who want to help but have no idea what our policies are or what the state laws are. Our adoption and business policies are put in place to protect all entities involved, just like laws are in place to protect the public. We do not take our job as a humane society lightly. If you have any questions about the Central Aroostook Humane Society or our policies, please give us a call.
Looking for a Friend for Life? Look no further than the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, or you can give us a call at 764-3441. You can also find us online at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org. Please have your pets spayed and neutered.
