KC Pet Project helping owners provide pets with safety in summer heat

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – When it is this hot outside KC Pet Project goes on 40 animal welfare checks every day, and similarly Great Plains SPCA’s Hero Team visits more than 20 locations a week.

Both organizations provide owners with options to keep their pets safe in the summer heat, but KC Pet Project Chief Communications Officer Tori Fugate said they are reminding homeowners of local ordinances.

“Really, this time of year, it’s shade that we’re looking for, so that they can get out of the direct sun,” Fugate said. “If we’ve given them every opportunity, we will be issuing citations for inadequate care.”

KC Pet Project has helped pet owners move dog houses into shaded areas, dig holes for buckets of water to stay cooler, and provided other means to keep outdoor dogs safe during 100-plus-degree temperature days.

Great Plains SPCA nominates around 5 Hero recipients per week to receive items that include biting fly repellent to prevent flystrike, plastic buckets for fresh water, baby pools, shade tarps, umbrellas, and iced treats.

A K-9 officer in Savannah, Missouri, died after being left in a hot car this past Thursday.

Horus died after finishing an overnight shift on patrol, and it is being investigated as an accident. The community will host a candlelight vigil to remember the dog this coming Sunday.

In Missouri, windows can be broken to save the life of a child that has been locked inside of a car, but KC Pet Project recommends calling 911 or their office at 816-683-1373 for a similar situation that involves an animal.

“Even with the window cracked, it can get very, very hot in the car, very fast,” Fugate said. “Say you’re at a Target – go into the store, see if you can locate the owner, and then the biggest thing is to alert the authorities.”

KC Pet Project does have a cruelty neglect form that can be filled out anonymously online. Great Plains SPCA’s HERO team can be contacted by calling 913-831-3347.

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