While people living in Las Vegas might not think twice about extreme heat days with central air, many people in the Pacific Northwest discovered they had a problem during an unexpected heatwave.
“So many people in the Pacific Northwest don’t have air conditioning, so they had to come up with new cooling station ideas,” said Kristi Pritchett, founder of All About Spot. “One of their ideas came right out of the Great Gatsby; placing a bowl of ice behind a fan.”
Other ideas included blankets set on ice packs and wet clothes between their armpits and the back of their legs. In Portland, one pet group came up with cooling vests for their pets. Others set up shady spots, often on tile, inside their homes. Yet others took their pets for an air-conditioned car ride or encouraged them to jump into the pool.
“Some animals may look like they aren’t in distress and even try to stay outside,” says Kristi. “In those cases, you have to watch for warning signs like excessive drooling or panting.”
While most houses have central air in Las Vegas, some animals are still at risk when their owners aren’t used to temperatures well over 100 degrees. The two most common mistakes are leaving pets inside the car during a quick shopping trip or letting them walk on the sidewalk for too long.
“It’s better to walk pets in the early morning before the high temperatures heat up the sidewalk,” says Kristi. “If you do take them out during the day, stick to grassy areas or try paw pads so they don’t burn their feet on the cement.”
Much more concerning are people who leave their pets or children inside the vehicle during the summer. One study showed that on a 95-degree day, the interior of a car could reach 116 degrees in an hour. Even parked in the shade, temperatures reached 100 degrees. More alarming was how various areas of the car became superheated: dashboards reached 157 degrees, steering wheels reached 127 degrees, and seats reached 123 degrees.
“The problem is compounded in places like Las Vegas where the daily temperatures already peak at 120 degrees or higher,” Kristi noted. “Another factor to consider is how quickly cars heat up. It’s not uncommon for interior temperatures to jump 20 degrees within 5 or 10 minutes.” While leaving pets in parked cars is the most extreme risk associated with scorching summer temperatures, nothing should be overlooked. Kristi says early summer checkups, symptom awareness, and outdoor supervision are excellent practices to protect family pets. For more helpful tips, see the Hot Weather Safety Tips provided by the ASPCA.
