Look after pets in hot weather

HOT WEATHER ALERT: This weekend is set to reach 37 – 38 degrees, pets and native animals will struggle in these temperatures without access to plenty of water.

Dogs that are kept outside will need access to shade, plenty of water and should not be walked during the day.

A quick test when walking your dogs on hot days is to put your hand onto the footpath or road (safely) if it is too hot for your hand to remain on the surface it is too hot for your dog to be walked.

Dogs do not like drinking water that is too warm or too dirty so make sure their water is clean and kept in a shady spot.

If you have a dog that likes to splash in their water bowl it is always a good idea to have a back up water bowl.

Also good to offer a paddling pool like one of those plastic clam shells just so they can get really wet if they want too.

Frozen treats can also help cool down our canine friends. I use an ice cream container part filled with water and throw in some tasty treats.

Freeze overnight and tip the icy treat out in the morning in a shady spot on the grass.

Cats – these guys should really be inside this weekend but if they aren’t plenty of water in a few locations is what they need.

Remember if your cat eats dry food they need more water than a cat who doesn’t.

Horses – I don’t know about anyone else but my horses have been drinking up a storm this week. If you water from buckets and your horses don’t have access to an alternate water source like a dam or self filling trough then I suggest doubling up the number of filled buckets and check throughout the day.

Chickens and other poultry – chickens need multiple access points to water in a yard. Dominant chickens can stop others from drinking water if there is only one or two drinking bowls.

Some chickens love a paddle on super hot days so if you have a low container (like an old kitty litter box) fill it with water and put it in an area where your chickens hang out.

Make sure if you do this that the water isn’t too deep as some chickens (and birds) can get waterlogged and have trouble getting out, make it just deep enough that your smallest bird could touch the bottom.

Put out extra water containers and top up any bird baths around the yard.

Birds need a lot of extra water during hot weather and putting out more water means there is less demand from ‘visitors’ on your pet’s water bowls.

And remember animals, like children, should never be left in a hot car for any length of time.

 – Yass Animal Officer