The charity has seen a surge in pet advice searches.
The RSPCA is urging pet owners to be vigilant about pet safety during high temperatures, as it sees an increase in people searching for pet advice in hot weather.
The warning comes as the UK enters a late summer heatwave, with many places expected to see temperatures of 25 degrees or more.
The weather has prompted an increase in visitors to the charity’s hot weather advice, with its advice page about the dangers of dog walks in the heat seeing a 77 per cent increase in readers from January- August this year, compared to the same period in 2022.
The RSPCA also saw an 11 per cent increase in readers about heatstroke in dogs and 2.3 per cent more readers about dogs dying in hot cars.
However the welfare charity remains concerned that some pet owners may be caught unprepared for the latest heatwave, with its rescue centres receiving hundreds of reports related to heat exposure during each period of hot weather.
Reports have involved dogs left in hot cars, pets with heat burns on their paws from the pavement and dehydrated animals.
The RSPCA is asking pet owners to take note of its guidance to be prepared to keep their pets safe during periods of high temperature.
This includes raising awareness of its recent ‘Dogs Die on Hot Walks’ campaign, which reminds dog owners of the dangers of walking dogs in hot weather with the guidance ‘if in doubt, don’t go out’.
It also advises members of the public to keep alert for any pets or wildlife that may be affected by the hot weather. The RSPCA is reminding people to call 999 immediately if they see a dog in distress in a hot car.
RSPCA dog welfare expert Esme Wheeler said: “By following our top tips for keeping pets cool, as well as familiarising themselves with the signs of heatstroke in pets, owners will be taking responsible steps to keeping their animals safe this week.
“With just a few simple tweaks to their routine, animal lovers can really make a huge difference to pets’ comfort during the hot weather, and in some cases, may well be saving their lives.”
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Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
