Wisconsin's Weekend Morning News
Angela Speed from the Wisconsin Humane Society with Tips for Dogs and Fireworks 6-23-24
We're getting close to that holiday where there's going to be a lot of fireworks. Joining us is Angela Speed with the Wisconsin Humane Society with some safety tips for us. First of all, we just came out of a really horrible, hot couple of days. Our pets aren't used to that in this climate, are they? Dogs in particular, they don't regulate their body temperatures the same way people do. They don't sweat. They pant to cool themselves and when we have hot stretches like we just came out of, even at the Humane Society, we're adjusting our dog walking protocols to make sure everybody is safe. When you're walking your dog, you want to test the pavement with your palm. If it's too hot for your hand, it's too hot for their sensitive pop pads, and it's especially true of black asphalt. Sidewalks can be cooler, but that's just one of the tips that we provide to people who are out dog walking. Of course, taking walks in the early morning or after sunset when it's cooler, shortening those walks, just doing potty breaks when it's truly tropical outside. But probably your number one thing that you don't want to do is never leave your dog in a hot car, even when the temperatures are in the 80s. But inside of a vehicle can reach 160 plus in just a few minutes, even with the windows cracked. And unfortunately, we do see incidences of heat stroke every year because dogs are left in cars. How do you know if your pet, especially your dog, is really suffering? So the signs of heat stroke, true heat stroke, include things like excessive panting, difficulty breathing. They might vomit or have diarrhea. They might be a little confused. They'll have a rapid pulse often. And if you check their gums, often they'll be bright red. Or their lips may look a little bit bluish. And if you see any of those signs, you want to get them to a cool place, don't apply ice. But cool towels and contact your veterinarian immediately. Here we are, just a week away from Fourth of July, which is, I think, a dog's least favorite holiday. What do we need to know to make sure they're not going to be too anxious? First of all, I don't know of many dogs that actually enjoy them. So if you're going to the fireworks, then you want to leave your pets at home, where they are most comfortable and cool and relaxed. For dogs who are super sensitive to the booms of the firework, a lot of people try anxiety-reducing medication, thunder shirts, white noise in the background, turning the TV up, making sure all the windows are closed. If your dog is seriously reactive and anxious during the fireworks, you don't want to talk to your veterinarian soon about medical options so that they can bear those fireworks comfortably during the Fourth of July festivities. And I know every year around that time, you end up with strays because they bolted away from people because they heard fireworks and were afraid. Yeah, absolutely. Dogs often bolt whether that's during thunderstorms or Fourth of July celebrations, so you want to make sure that your ID tags are up to date. Have your current information just in case your dog gets loose. And of course, if your pets aren't already microchipped, that is a great option as well. The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice inserted between their shoulder blades and every single animal control facility, pretty much in the country. The first thing they do when a stray animal comes in is they scan for microchip and those reunions can happen so much faster because of microchip. Angela, I know that you have a lot of pets for adoption right now. Sadly, a lot of people have had to give their pets up for a number of different reasons. How many dogs do you have at Wisconsin, you mean, right now? So at the Wisconsin Humane Society, this morning I looked and we had 96 dogs looking for new homes. It has been a really tough year across the country and in Wisconsin. If you've been on the fence about adapting a puppy or a dog, this is your sign. Look at your local shelters, your rescue groups, the Wisconsin Humane Society. We're just being a surge of dogs coming in as strays and surrenders, mostly due to economic conditions, to systemic issues in our community. People are really struggling to find affordable housing, let alone affordable housing that allows big dogs. And there's also a lack of access to veterinary care. There's huge veterinary shortage right now in the U.S. So there's a lot of forces that are impacting animal population, but we have some of the most fantastic dogs available for adoption. And we actually have a promotion right now. 50% off all dog and puppy adoption sees that the Wisconsin Humane Society. Ooh, where can we learn more? Yeah, you can go to wihumane.org/adopt and look at all the wonderful faces. And of course, we have a ton of cats and kittens available for adoption too, and other animals as well. Angela Spade from the Wisconsin Humane Society. Thank you for joining us. Oh, thank you for having me.