It’s summer, and here at OneKind Planet, we’re excited for the sunshine, holidays and BBQs outside! During the summer, it can be really easy to get caught up in the excitement of time off school and work and the good weather, but it’s important to remember that summer can be a difficult time for animals, whether that’s from the high temperatures or from us going on our summer holidays.
We are all OneKind, and we have a responsibility to make AnimalKind decisions, so here are some tips to make sure that our animals enjoy the summer just as much as we do!
It’s too hot!
Although we enjoy the heat of summer, for animals, high temperatures can be uncomfortable and sometimes even life-threatening. Make sure you are helping your animals stay cool, hydrated and safe from the sun by:
- Never leaving them unattended in a car when its warm outside
- Making sure they have constant access to fresh water (you could even put some ice in their water to keep it cool!)
- setting up a shady and well-ventilated space inside your house or flat for them to hang out in
- Making sure you groom them regularly to get rid of any extra fluff to help them keep cool
If it’s an extra hot day, or if you feel like spoiling your pet, you could even freeze a creamy pet treat, so they have their own ice lolly to cool down with!
We’re all goin’ on a summer holiday
If you’re going away on holiday, it’s important to make sure that your pets will be looked after while you’re away.
Just like people, animals need structure, socialisation and stimulation. Any change in routine can be stressful for your pet, so if you’re going on holiday, you need to do your best to minimise this!
The best option is to have a friend or family member come and visit your pet in your home while you’re away, so your pet can maintain their routine and stay in an environment they’re familiar with, with people they know.
However, if this isn’t possible, the next best option is to use a pet sitter – someone who will visit your pet as frequently as you like, play with them, feed them, and will send you updates on their wellbeing. Having a stranger in your house can be intimidating, but there are lots of websites with registered pet sitters, such as Rover, Pawshake and Borrow My Doggy, where you can read reviews and even meet potential pet sitters before booking them. Make sure you do your research, book ahead of your holiday and give your pet sitter all the information they need to look after your pet!
BBQ Season
Nothing is better than a summer BBQ with friends and family, but being AnimalKind doesn’t stop at domestic animals like cats and dogs.
In the last decade, meat alternatives have come on in leaps and bounds, and there are now hundreds of options to choose from, from ‘Pulled Pork’ jackfruit to Beyond Burgers! A vegan alternative no longer means you have to miss out on a ‘proper’ burger, but it does mean that you can choose not to contribute to the suffering of sentient creatures!
Why not experiment this summer and make the AnimalKind decision to bring a meat substitute to your next BBQ? Who knows, it could be a new family favourite!
Blog by OneKind volunteer Katherine Quinn.