Sacramento, California – Sacramento pet owners are being urged to take extra care as rising temperatures turn ordinary routines into real risks for animals.
Bradshaw Animal Shelter warned that the heat now settling over the area can be dangerous for pets long before people realize it. The message was simple: if the weather feels extreme to you, it likely feels extreme to them too.
The shelter, located on Bradshaw Road and operated by Sacramento County, serves as one of Northern California’s largest animal shelters and continues to point residents toward basic steps that can prevent serious harm.
The most urgent reminder is also the most familiar: never leave a pet inside a parked vehicle. Even on a 75-degree day, the inside of a car can climb to 100 degrees in about 10 minutes. Cracked windows do not make it safe. Sacramento County has also warned that leaving pets unattended in parked cars is both dangerous and illegal in California.
Walks should also change with the weather. Bradshaw Animal Shelter is advising owners to walk pets early in the morning or later in the evening, when pavement is cooler and the sun is less harsh. Before heading out, owners should test the ground with their hand. If it is too hot for a person’s hand, it is too hot for paws. Water should come along for the walk, and shade breaks should be taken often.
At home, the shelter is reminding residents to keep fresh water available at all times. Outdoor pets should have shade, but during heatwaves, indoors is best. Cooling mats, fans, shaded rooms, kiddie pools and frozen treats can all help animals lower their body temperature. Still, officials caution that a fan alone is not enough, because pets do not cool down in the same way people do.
Owners are also being asked to watch closely for signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Warning signs can include excessive panting, drooling, lethargy, vomiting and stumbling. Sacramento County has also listed symptoms such as glazed eyes, rapid pulse and collapse as signs that a pet may be in serious trouble and may need immediate veterinary attention.
Anyone who sees a pet trapped in a hot car should write down the vehicle’s make, model and license plate, notify nearby businesses, and call the local non-emergency line or animal control immediately.
A little planning, shelter officials said, can keep a hot day from becoming a tragedy.