We have made it to SUMMER! The time of year for vacations, baseball and other kinds of summer fun. It’s also the time to make sure that we and our furry friends continue to be safe and prepared. Let’s look at some things that we can do together as pets and people to make sure everyone has the best summer yet.
Eating Right
I love summer because summer means cook-outs and picnics and we all know how I LOVE hotdogs and ice cream (dog style). While we’re enjoying these summertime treats we need to remember the importance of a balanced diet. For people that means still getting your fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas and that summer favorite watermelon. Carrots, lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes and others are also beginning to show up in gardens. For us animals, we need to still keep our main diets that we have all year long. A sudden change or too much “junk food” can really upset our stomachs and maybe be the cause to a rush trip to the vet. So, I have to keep my hotdog lunches to a few.
Playing Outside
We’re also spending a lot more time outside playing summer games like ball, Frisbee, going swimming, and the like. Make sure that you and your pets drink a lot of fresh cool water. Water is the best because it not only keeps us cool but also keeps us really healthy and out there playing. Even when I’m at the pool or lake playing in the water, lots of fresh drinking water is what I need (and you too) to keep going. While we’re outside playing we need to make sure and take plenty of breaks to cool off. As kids, elderly and sometimes pets sometime have a more difficult time regulating our body heat, we need to make sure that we get inside and rest in the cool air to make sure we don’t make ourselves very sick. We also need to watch each other and go inside so no one gets hurt this summer season.
Firework Safety
Finally, our country’s birthday is coming up on July 4th. I love Independence Day and celebrating our rich national history and heritage. We need to make sure and do it safely both for people and pets. If you are having fireworks, make sure to follow the directions and listen to the adults watching you so that you stay safe. If you have pets, make sure that they are comfortable when fireworks are going off anywhere in the neighborhood. Those unexpected loud booms can be very scary. This could be a good time to take your pet into the storm shelter of your home with all their preparedness stuff including their favorite toy and blanket. Get them in the storm area before the fireworks are going and spend some time with them so they know it’s safe. Let them go outside before the big ones start in the evening so they can stay in the safe area. Independence Day is the number one time of year for pets to go missing and that’s because they get scared. Do your part for your pets by getting them holiday ready.
As always, take a few minutes to make sure that the emergency kit is ready and that your family has everything needed in case of an emergency. Severe weather and other emergencies can happen at any time so we have to always be prepared. Thanks for doing your part in making this a safe and prepared summer. Take care.
