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SLO County heat wave could put pets at risk of heatstroke

Doja Cat looks out the window of the Cal Poly Cat Shelter. She's one of the cats currently up for adoption.
Jordan Triebel
Cats can suffer heatstroke during extreme weather conditions.

The Central Coast’s high temperatures are not only impacting humans— pets can also suffer from the heat in San Luis Obispo County.

Areas like Paso Robles are expected to see temperatures of up to 100 degrees this week, according to the National Weather Service.

Robin Coleman is the community engagement manager for Woods Humane Society, a local non-profit animal shelter. She said very old, very young and overweight dogs and cats are especially vulnerable to the high heat.

“Animals just run so much warmer than humans,” Coleman said. “So when we are hot, they are really hot, and so it really can get dangerous.”

Symptoms of heatstroke in pets include a rapid heatbeat, vomiting and seizures. Pets might also experience difficulty breathing, excessive thirst and even loss of consciousness.

“We all are creatures of routines and we have our routines that we do with our animals, but it's really important to make some adjustments during these very hot temperatures that we're experiencing,” Coleman said.

Coleman said people can keep their pets safe by giving them cool water, taking walks during colder hours of the day and staying away from hot surfaces that can burn their feet. She also said owners should never leave their pets in cars on a hot day.

This piece was produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

KCBX Reporter Sarina Grossi is a Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo graduate. At Cal Poly, she worked as a news anchor and reporter for KCPR Radio and as the Digital Manager for Mustang Media Group. Sarina was editor-in-chief of her community college newspaper. In her free time, she likes to read, watch movies, do arts and crafts, and go to thrift and antique stores.
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