How to protect your furry loved ones as the temperatures continue to climb

Temperatures have been warm to hot for a good chunk of the lower-48 at some point this season and everyone will experience the summer-like heat over the coming weeks. With the summer heat, comes summer time off and many like to spend their time outdoors with their furry loved ones.

It is important to remember, as the temperatures climb, you need to protect your pets from the heat. It is easy to forget how quickly pavement heats up during the warm months. When temperatures climb into the mid-80s, your pets are already a danger when walking them on concrete and asphalt. The temperature of paved surfaces climbs between 105 to 130-degrees when air temperatures are in the mid-80s. Add an additional 10-degrees to the air temperatures (mid-9os) and those pavement temperatures climb between 140 to 155-degrees! Temperatures this hot on pavement will quickly burn the paws of your furry loved ones in just seconds.

The reason pavement temperatures are hotter than the air temperature is because these surfaces absorb heat fast compared to grassy surfaces. It is safest to walk your furry loved ones in the grass as temperatures continue to climb.

There is a test you can do to check the heat of the pavement to determine if it is too hot for paws. Touch the pavement with the back of your hand for 7-seconds. If the temperature of the pavement is hot on your hand, it is too hot for your pets. It is also important to remember to bring your pets inside or provide them with adequate shelter as temperatures continue to climb, and ensure your furry loved ones have plenty of water.