Helping to prevent heat stroke in dogs

OTHELLO — In the heat of summer, pet owners have to take precautions to ensure their dogs and cats do not get heat stroke, also known as hyperthermia.

Heat stroke is caused by an elevation in body temperature as a response to a trigger, like inflammation in the body or a hot environment.

Dogs do not sweat through their skins like humans; they release small amounts of sweat through their foot pads and nose. Unfortunately, this is not enough to release excess body heat. They primarily release body heat by panting. However, this is not a very effective or efficient process.

One of the easiest ways to prevent heat stroke is to provide a shady area for your dog to run, play or just relax. At Adams County Pet Rescue, they have solved the problem with shade pens.

The pens, which are in the process of being completed, were built by Joe Rangel, of Rangel Construction in Othello.

So far, the dogs and the employees like the pens.

“They provide a lot of shade and the dogs seem to like them,” Kyya Grant, ACPR director, said. “They are safer and the pens help prevent overheating because they stay cool.”

The pens were designed to provide shade all day long, but they also have double walls and are insulated for protection from the cold in the winter.

To top it off, Rangel donated part of his labor to make this difference for the dogs. He agrees that the dogs seem to like them.

“They (dogs) go where the shade is at,” Rangel said. “They’re no dummies.”

Rangel himself is a dog lover and has a bull mastiff-American pitbull mix.

“We need to provide the dogs with adequate winter and summer protection from wind, rain, et cetera,” he said.

Employee Erika Salmeron said the pens are also good for meet-and-greets.

“Adopters can hang out with the dogs,” she said.

Isabella Pruneda said the shade pens were an afterthought to the pens already there.

“They are well-placed so the dogs have shade any time of day,” Pruneda said. “We had some pens built, but there was no shade, so sometimes, we would hang up sheets for shade or winter protection.”

Pruneda said the shade pens are exactly what the dogs needed.

“They are completely awesome,” she said.

The pens also mean the dogs can stay outside for more play time.

The dogs are provided with plastic swimming pools, but they tend to tip them over. Pruneda said they would like to replace them with something better, like troughs.

“The dogs really enjoy the pools,” Pruneda said. “And we appreciate having them.”

Adams County Pet Rescue is located at 1961 Bench Rd. near the fairgrounds. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The facility is closed Mondays and Thursdays for cleaning.

To contact ACPR, call (509) 488-5514 or email adopt@AdamsCountyPetRescue. Visit the website at www.adamscountypetrescue.com.