Create your own press release, using quotes from your own vets, and help care for the pets in your community by helping their owners take better care of them!

With the temps soaring higher and higher every day in many parts of the country, now is a good time to remind people about caring for their animals during the hot weather. Contact your local media outlets (in person or automatically through Petfinder.com) to share some tips with pet owners about keeping their animals in the shade, providing lots of cool water, only exercising during cooler times, to avoid leaving pets in parked cars, and explain the tell-tale symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke, with quotes from your partnering vet. Here’s a sample hot weather tips press release for you to use to help draft your own. (Use the press release template for a professional look.)

The Heat Is On!
The hot summer months can be tough on pets! Keep these tips in mind when the heat is on:

* While traveling with pets, keep a thermos filled with fresh, cool water.
* Please don’t force your animal to exercise after a meal in hot, humid weather. Exercise your pet in the cool of the early morning or evening.
* In extremely hot weather, keep your walks to a minimum. Your canine companion’s paws can burn easily, and your pet could overheat quickly.
* Always provide plenty of shade and water for an animal staying outside the house. Bring your pet inside during the heat of the day.
* Always provide plenty of cool, clean water for your animal.
* Be sensitive to old and overweight animals in hot weather. Short-nosed dogs (such as pugs) should also be kept indoors as much as possible.
* Take your pet to the veterinarian for a spring checkup. Have the doctor recommend an effective flea and tick control program for your pet.
* Be sure there are no open, unscreened windows or doors through which your animal can fall or jump.
* Please don’t leave your pets alone in parked vehicles. Even with the windows open, a parked car can quickly become a furnace. While the temperature outside may reach up to 80 or 90 degrees, the temperature inside your car could reach over 120 degrees. This type of overheating can be fatal to your beloved pet.