Pet Briefs

Help pets beat heat of summer

Petfinder.com, the online database of adoptable pets, offers tips to keep pets safe and cool during the sweltering heat.

--Never leave an animal alone in a vehicle. Even with the windows open, a parked car, truck or van quickly can become a furnace. Parking in shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day. When traveling, carry a gallon thermos filled with fresh, cold water.

--Exercise your pet only in the cool of the early morning or evening. Don't force him to exercise after a meal in hot, humid weather.

--In extreme hot weather, don't leave your dog standing on the street, and keep walks to a minimum. He is much closer to the hot asphalt, and his body can heat up quickly. His paws can burn since they are not protected by shoes.

--Take your pet to the beach only if you can provide a shaded spot and plenty of fresh drinking water. Rinse him off after he has been in saltwater.

--Always provide shade for an animal staying outdoors. A properly constructed dog house serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day and let him rest in a cool part of your house. Always provide plenty of cool, clean water for your animal.

--Be sensitive to old, overweight and snub-nosed animals in hot weather, as well as those with medical conditions. Brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs (especially bulldogs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus) and those with heart or lung diseases should be kept indoors in air conditioning as much as possible.

APPA announces pet poetry contest

American Pet Products Association President Bob Vetere announced recently that beginning Aug. 1, the organization will accept poems for the third annual APPA National Children's Pet Poetry Contest through the public awareness campaign Pets Add Life.

Third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students are invited to write poems about their pets, what they love about them and the joys they bring, and post their poems online at www.petsaddlife.org or mail their final poems and submission forms to: Pets Add Life, 45 Winter Street, Reno, NV 89503. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Jan. 31.

Two students from each grade level nationwide will win a $250 gift certificate for pet products and a byline in a nationally circulated publication. In addition, the six winning students' classrooms will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to spend on pet-related education.

To learn more about APPA's National Children's Pet Poetry Contest, visit the website.

Compiled by Brenda Rindge. Send items to pets@postandcourier.com.