Dog-Gone Right You Should Be Ashamed

Just one day after Pride last year, veterinarian and animal activist Carolyn Karrh says she treated a dog whose front pads had literally burned right off. That’s how hot the pavement was.

“It is incredibly sad and totally preventable,” Carolyn said. What’s more, she tried to warn several people at Pride that their dogs were in a potentially life-threatening situation and she was either ignored or met with dirty looks. “Someone has to speak for the animals when they can’t speak for themselves.”

Here’s what a lot of people don’t know: Dogs don’t sweat like we do, so when the temperatures climb, they can’t cool off as easily. Being covered in fur and having a higher body temperature to begin with makes it even more difficult. In minutes, a dog can go from panting to organ failure. What’s worse is that the temperature on the ground is often much higher than the temperature in the air. At 77 degrees, asphalt in the sun can be 125 degrees. Now, imagine how hot it was at Pride, where the temperature reached 100!

This seems pretty obvious, but it merits a mention. Dogs don’t wear shoes. Their pads are not like leather. Walking on asphalt for them is like walking on it barefoot for us. “If a surface is too hot for you to walk on with bare feet, it’s too hot for them,” said Tammy Wolfe, a canine physical therapist. She says that Pride is usually scorching hot and she “always sees dogs walking on hot asphalt.”

OUT FRONT asked readers on its Facebook page if they would support a ban on dogs at Pride. Of the nearly 100 people who responded, the vast majority said “yes.” Scot Walker is among them. “I nearly melted [at Pride] … couldn’t imagine having a fur coat and bare feet.”

One woman who’s been a veterinarian technician for 10 years said she’s “witnessed the horrific burns not only on feet, but on the bodies of these poor animals.” She said she’s spent weeks changing wet to dry bandages and treating infections and excruciating pain. She also “saw a lot of dogs that appeared to be scared and anxious around all people.”

Others said a total ban is not the way to go. “Don’t take the privilege away from those of us doing it the way we should. Just take it away from the morons who don’t do things the way they should,” says Alex Schaff. He brought his dog and he brought paw protection, water, and plenty of food. He also made sure to keep his dog on the grass and in the shade — something Carolyn says is a must for dogs on hot days. But, Carolyn argues, many don’t treat their dogs the way they should even when they’re warned about the dangers. “There will always be some people who think it would never happen to their dog.”

There aren’t figures on how many dogs die from heat exhaustion every year, but most agree it’s far too many — especially for something that can so easily be prevented. We all know by now not to leave our dogs in hot cars, but what some don’t know is that just being outside on an extremely hot day can be deadly as well. To prevent heat stroke, keep your dog inside where it’s air conditioned as much as possible, limit exercise, give them plenty of water, and if you are out in the heat, pour water on them as well. They need to stay cool on the inside and the outside.

Warning signs include heavy panting, excessive thirst, glazed eyes, vomiting, staggering, and passing out. Do not wait. Once your dog starts panting heavily, it’s time to get him or her out of the heat. “Every dog I saw [at Pride] was panting heavily and fast, some lethargic and almost limp, a precursor to heatstroke and the no-turning-back cascade of events that lead to death,” Carolyn said.

Some stories are hard to believe. Carolyn said she even saw “a Pomeranian in someone’s arms who had a heavy hair coat and a sweater on. I would not be surprised if this dog died that day.”

Carolyn Karrh practices at The Center for Animal Wellness and at Every Creature Counts. She also has a non-profit organization that helps pets that belong to homeless people.

PeaceLovePaws.org Tammy Wolfe owns and operates The K9 Body Shop.