Tips for keeping your pets cool this summer

COLUMBUS, Miss., (WCBI) — As the heat continues to swelter, it’s important to not only take care of yourselves but your pets as well.

As the temperatures continue to climb, so do the chances of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, not only in people but in pets as well.

Kim Hays with the Columbus – Lowndes Humane Society says it’s one of the biggest things they see in the summer. She says when monitoring their pets during the summer, people should look for signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion.

“Combatting heat exhaustion in dogs. We have animal control several heat stroke dogs throughout the week. Signs of an overheated dog are going to be excessive panting, not moving around a lot stuff like that, so it’s very important that you’re watching the signs.”

She says having lukewarm water in a kiddie pool for the animals to cool off in and having them in a shaded area also helps. For those that may not have trees in their yards to provide shade, Hays says tarps will work.

“Get a tarp, anything that’s going to provide some of that shaded area and also these pools, these are $10 pools. Fill it up and have it just for the dog to lay in. Some sort, underneath a tree or something like that. It is imperative that they’re not in that direct sunlight.”

Another thing they see during the summer? More animals being brought in. She says those numbers have been spiking like the temperature.

“I don’t know why but the summer months tend to be the worst in the South,”

The Columbus Lowndes County Humane Society is running an adoption special currently.

You can check their Facebook page or contact them for more information.