Newtownabbey councillor urges residents to be responsible dog owners during hot weather

Over the weekend temperatures hit their highest on record in Northern Ireland with the hot weather set to last until later this week.

Dogs often struggle to regulate their temperature in the sunshine and exposing them to hot temperatures can prove fatal.

In a statement issued to this newspaper, Ald McGrath said: “It’s easy to forget that tarmac and asphalt pavements get really hot for dog’s paws in the sun and can cause serious burns.

“Dog’s should also have access to shade and never be left in cars or conservatories which can get dangerously hot in this weather - even with open windows.

“Furthermore, it’s worth remembering that not only does man’s best friend need shade, but also a regularly refreshed supply of water, with it left in the shade to keep this cool too.”

For further advice, read Here is when it’s too hot to walk your dog and how to keep them cool in the summer--

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.
Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.