BEAUMONT, Texas — With summer here and temperatures rising, Southeast Texas pet owners should be aware of how to keep their pets safe.
We can't help but complain about the heat but the four-legged members of our families can't speak for themselves.
Pet owners should be mindful of their pets' vulnerabilities during the hot months of summer according to Humane Society of Southeast Texas shelter manager manager, Taylor Westphal.
It begins with their daily walk as the pads a dog's paws can be as sensitive as your skin. Early mornings or later in the evening are the best times for those summer walks.
"If you can walk your dog early in the morning or later in the evening, understand that's also the time that mosquitoes are going to be out," said Taylor Westphal. Westphal is the shelter manager at the Humane Society of Southeast Texas.
"So make sure you use your mosquito repellent," he said. "Make sure your dog is up to date on heartworm prevention, because that is how heartworms are spread.'
"If you're going to walk your dog during the day, try to keep them on the grass and not so much in the concrete," Westphal told 12News. "You have to imagine if you were walking barefoot, that's how your dog would feel."
"That concrete can heat up very hot, very quick," he said. "So just make sure that you also pay attention to that."
One easy way to see if the concrete is too hot for your animal is to place your palm to the ground.
If your hand begins to get too hot to keep it there, then it's most likely too hot for your pet's little paws.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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