The summer season is finally upon us and boy is it getting hot! Multiple cities in India have already been hit with heat waves of temperatures as high as 42 degrees and 47 degrees. But as humans, we have an added advantage - air conditioners. We get to go to work or sit at home in our air conditioners without having to worry about the rising temperatures. Stray animals, on the other hand, are the ones who find it very difficult to survive in such extreme heat. Unlike us, they have no place to go and the best they can do is pant and sweat their way through the heat. So, if you're looking for ways to help your furry pals beat the heat this summer, here are a few things you can try.
1. Leave some water outside: Do you notice how dogs keep panting continuously when it's hot? That's because they're thirsty. Animals tend to get dehydrated very fast during the summer season which is why it would be rather helpful to them if you left out bowls of water for them to drink from. Try to fill the bowls with chilled water and keep changing the water if it's been out for too long.
2. Food will help: Apart from water, animals need some food to help replenish their lost energy. “Choose watermelons, muskmelons, cucumber, tender coconut or other hydrating fruits as they are not too heavy for the strays and also help maintain the water balance. Avoid leaving milk for them as it tends to get bad in summers very quickly. There are a variety of summer foods for dogs and cats available in stores that you can choose from too,” said one expert.
3. Clip their coats: Don't you often feel like shaving your hair off when it's too hot to handle the heat outside? Similarly, you could talk to a vet in your area and get the coats of the strays trimmed so that they feel a bit cooler. The lighter their coats, the cooler they'll feel.
4. Summer shelter: You could set up temporary shelters to help them stay out of the heat. “Use a khus chataai (grass mat) as the lining and floor for the shed and use materials like cardboard and cloth for the walls of the shelter. Make sure your shelter is placed in a cool spot and is spacious so that it doesn’t trap heat. You can also add damp towels and sheets to cool them down during the afternoon hours,” says one activist.
Well, now that you know how you can help, go give those furry pals of yours some much-needed relief from the sun! Stay tuned for more updates.
