Keep Pets Cool During Extreme Heat

The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures is Arlington could exceed 100 degrees this weekend.

In that kind of heat, we all know it's important to cut back on outdoor activity, drink lots of water, and seek the shelter of air conditioning. When it comes to our pets, the advice is almost identical.

Neil Trent, the executive director of the , offers the following advice for pet owners.

In the car...

Never leave pets in a car when it's hot outside. Not in the shade. Not with the windows rolled down. Never. Period.

"People don’t realize the inside interior of a car gets rapidly hot. They think if they park in the shade, or if they open all the windows, that is acceptable and the animal will be fine…but in that period of time, and even inside parking garages, even then, even though they’re not in direct sunlight, because of the humidity, it is very uncomfortable for an animal," Trent said.

Even if the animal does not die, pets can suffer brain damage after being left in a hot car in extreme heat.

In public...

Don't tie your dog up outside a restaurant or a store and leave it unsupervised.

"It only take a few minutes in hot weather for an animal to get agitated, stressed," Trent said. That stress could come in the form of a human or another passing animal.

If an animal becomes stressed, its internal temperature rises, which can cause heat-related illness.

At home...

If you leave your animals at home during the work day, be sure they have access to air conditioning, or, at the very least, shade.

"Keep the AC on at a reasonable level," Trent said. "Don’t be stingy with your power. Make sure the animal is comfortable. Make sure there is plenty of water available. Drop blinds or shades."

He also advised to cut back on your pet's exercise during very hot days.

"During these very, very hot days, be aware that the normal exercise regime you might have with your pet or your dog shouldn’t be the same," he said. "The quality of the air won’t be so good and you will stress your animals."