It is summertime in Cibola County, and with that comes a few important things for pet owners to consider. During hot summer months, it is important for pet owners to remember that temperature conditions affect pets differently than they do humans.
One thing that pet owners might not always consider is the temperature of hot concrete, pavement, or any other heated ground surface. Humans, of course, have shoes to protect their feet from hot ground surfaces, but pets do not, so it is important to consider temperatures to protect the paws of pets. Dry paws or the paws of a young puppy or pet are especially susceptible to dangerous ground heat conditions.
According to https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/dog-paws-hot-pavement/, there are a few ways for pet owners to know whether ground temperatures are safe or not for their pets. The first is by considering air temperature. In degrees Fahrenheit, when the air temperature is 77 degrees, the asphalt temperature is 125 degrees; when the air temperature is 86 degrees, the asphalt temperature is 135 degrees; and when the air temperature is 87 degrees, the asphalt temperature is 143 degrees. According to an informational chart provided by the American Kennel Club (AKC), skin destruction can occur in 60 seconds at 125 degrees Fahrenheit, and an egg can be fried in five seconds at 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, skin damage can occur in relatively short periods of time at these temperatures.
Another way that pet owners can determine whether ground temperatures are too hot for their pets is by putting the palm of their hand or the bottom of their foot on the pavement or ground for 10 seconds. “If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws,” said Jerry Klein, AKC’s Chief Veterinary Officer, via the website mentioned above.
In addition to skin damage on the paws, extreme ground temperatures can also contribute to a rise in a pet’s body temperature and can lead to heatstroke. Smaller, short-legged dogs are at a higher risk since they are closer to the ground and will retain more of its heat quicker. Pet owners can avoid these
Pet owners can avoid these dangers by walking their pets on cooler/overcast days, by walking in shaded areas, or even by purchasing some animal moisturizer products or pet shoes for paws. Another issue that pet owners
Another issue that pet owners might not think about during the summer is the way that car temperatures can affect a pet. Many pet owners who travel often will also take their pets with them, which is normal. However, not every pit stop location allows for pets inside, which inevitably leads to instances where the pet is left alone in the car. During the summertime, this can be an issue, seeing as though air temperature and vehicle temperature have a similar relationship to the one be-tween air temp. and asphalt temp.
As reported by https://www.sandiaanimalclinic.com/2017/07/0 8/what-should-you-do-if-you-see-a-pet-in-a-hot-car/, “Even on overcast or mild days, heat builds up quickly inside vehicles. It can mean the death of a pet even in the shade, even with the windows cracked. With an outside temperature of just 70 degrees, a vehicle’s interior can reach above 100 degrees. When it’s 80 degrees outside, it takes only minutes for the inside of a vehicle to reach a deadly temperature. Unfortunately, though this risk is well known, many pets die each year when their owners leave them inside vehicles.” Laws regarding this
Laws regarding this issue vary from place to place, with some laws being very clear about leaving pets in hot cars being illegal, and others vaguely including this issue under a large umbrella of animal cruelty. According to the website mentioned above, New Mexico state law does not mention leaving pets in hot cars specifically, but prohibits animal cruelty in general. Cities can pass more specific ordinances on the issue. An Albuquerque ordinance specifically identifies leaving pets in hot cars as being illegal. Local ordinance agreements between the City of Grants and Cibola County do not specifically mention the issue but, like state law, prohibits anything that would fall under animal cruelty, including leaving pets unattended and without proper care, in a way in which they may be harmed, shared Cibola County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Officer Catherine Habiger.
According to Habiger, local animal control officers handle situations like these on a case-by-case basis, considering things like the state of the pet, if they are okay, if the windows are rolled down, if the owner was being quick or slow, etc.
When referring to pets being left alone in cars, Habiger said, “Our goal is never to have that happen, but we also have to be realistic as well… We want to try and avoid it altogether... if at all possible.” According to Habiger, the Animal Control Officers understand that things happen, and that sometimes it is unavoidable. In those instances, as a last resort Habiger suggests pet owners crack the windows open, maybe keep the air conditioner running, and try to be as quick as possible. Of course, the most ideal option is for pet owners to not take their pets with them if they know ahead of time that they will be going to places where they can’t bring their pets into and where they will take a long time being inside.
As for what bystanders should do if they witness a pet left alone in a vehicle, especially on a hot summer day, Habiger had some advice to give as well. “There are a lot of good people in Cibola County who really care for the animals, but we gotta do what’s right,” said Habiger, who suggested that when community members find a pet left alone in a car, they should call the local dispatch number and allow them to send an Animal Control Officer in to handle it. “Let us handle it,” stated Habiger. “It’s not in their best interest for them to take it upon themselves.”
Some states have “Good Samaritan” laws that allow citizens to do something such as breaking a window to release an animal trapped in a hot car. New Mexico does not have such laws, which means that citizens who choose to do this would not be protected and could face charges themselves. In Habiger’s experience, citizens taking the situation into their own hands and doing things like breaking windows only causes more harm than good. “We can’t take the law into our own hands. As our hearts may want to, we need to use our brain and not,” expressed Habiger. Usually, when Animal Control Officers receive a call about a situation as such, they are “on it,” the CCSO officer also explained.
After establishing that calling dispatch and allowing the officers to handle it is the best thing to do in this circumstance, Habiger also talked about when is best to call. According to Habiger, concerned citizens who find an animal in a car alone, especially on a hot day, should not wait but call right away and let the Animal Control Officer decide whether it is a situation that requires action or not. If the owner comes out before the officer arrives, then that is good news, and if they don’t, then the officer will handle it, explained Habiger.
Another thing that bystanders can do to help the situation is provide dispatch with information that will ultimately help the responding Animal Control Officer, such as the vehicle make and model, the car color, the license plate number, its location within the parking lot or wherever the car is, what type of animal is in it, etc. Whatever information the bystander can provide is always helpful.
As Habiger mentioned, sometimes situations happen that make some of these dangers unavoidable, but it is good for the pet owners of Cibola County to be aware of the dangers so that they know why they should avoid them and how, whenever they can. Being aware of these summertime dangers to pets can assure that the summer break is enjoyable for both the citizens and their pets. Habiger said it best, “It does truly take a village to take care of the animals in Cibola County.”