07/01/2026
🌡️ Heat Wave PSA: Please Keep an Eye Out for Animals!
With temperatures soaring, this weather isn’t just uncomfortable, it can quickly become life-threatening for pets and outdoor animals.
•Fresh, cool water can save lives. If you’re able, place a bowl of clean water outside in a shady spot. Check and refill it often, as water can become hot or evaporate quickly. Even wildlife, stray cats, and other outdoor animals depend on these small acts of kindness during extreme heat. Don’t assume outdoor cats can find fresh water, we don’t want them to get hit by a car in the search.
•Watch for fly strike. Many people have never heard of it, but fly strike is a horrible condition that becomes much more common in hot weather. Flies lay eggs on animals that are injured, sick, unable to groom themselves, or have urine or f***s on their fur. Those eggs hatch into maggots, which begin feeding on living tissue. Fly strike can become fatal in as little as 24–48 hours if left untreated. Elderly pets, rabbits, kittens, animals with wounds, and those left outside without proper care are especially at risk. Fly strike can also happen in food bowls left out in the heat, even water bowls. And it can happen in less than one day. Make sure you freshen the bowls and discard uneaten food, as ingesting fly strike can lead to illness and parasites. If you see small clumps of yellow rice-sized pieces (some think it looks like sticky pollen) on an animal, please reach out to local rescue resources and seek vet care if at all possible.
•If you find a kitten outside, don’t assume it’s abandoned. Mother cats often leave their kittens alone for several hours while they hunt for food. Unless the kitten is in immediate danger (such as in the road, being attacked, severely injured, or clearly ill), it’s usually best to watch from a distance for several hours to see if mom returns.
Signs a kitten may truly need help include:
• Cold to the touch
• Weak, lethargic, or unresponsive
• Covered in fleas or fly eggs/maggots
• Crying continuously for hours with no mother returning
• Injured or obviously sick
If you believe a kitten has been abandoned, bring it somewhere cool, (keep it warm if it’s very young), and contact a local rescue or animal welfare organization for guidance. Avoid giving cow’s milk, as it can make kittens sick.
•For pet owners: Walk dogs early in the morning or after sunset, make sure they always have shade and fresh water, and remember that pavement can become hot enough to burn paw pads. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their feet!
A few minutes of compassion can save a life. Thank you for looking out for the animals in our community during this extreme heat.
🥵😻🙏
