RSPCA SA warning as possibly hottest summer on record puts animals at risk.
The official start to summer this month has prompted RSPCA South Australia to remind the community of the risks animals face if safeguards are not in place to protect them from high temperatures.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has forecast that some regions, including South Australia, could experience their hottest summers on record. The long-range forecast for December is that "maximum temperatures are likely to very likely (60% to greater than 80% chance) to be above average for western WA and the south-east of Australia, and within the typical temperature range for December in other areas".
RSPCA SA's inspectorate and rescue team expect cruelty reports to spike today, as they usually do on days of extreme heat, with common scenarios being animals without water, without shelter or shade, or left inside hot cars. The organisation's Head of Animal Welfare, Andrea Lewis, says too many people continue to fail in their duty to protect animals from suffering and harm in hot weather.
"At the RSPCA, we find it astounding the number of people who do not seem to understand the huge risk for animals if they overheat or become dehydrated, and we have very real concerns when we get forecasts like we have for today, with the mercury tipped to reach 37C," Ms Lewis said.
"The same consideration for human safety on these hot days should be given to the animals in our care, and also to wildlife that could benefit from our help, so they also don't suffer from heat-related issues."
To protect domestic animals in hot weather, RSPCA SA advises:
- Animals have access to shelter from the sun throughout the day, and be brought into air-conditioned spaces if possible (including rabbits and guinea pigs)
- Animals have multiple sources of water available to them - ensure containers are untippable and position them where the water will stay cool. Add ice cubes if possible.
- Avoid transporting animals in vehicles
- Do not leave animals inside vehicles unattended under any circumstances, even if windows are down and vehicle is parked in shade
- Do not have dogs on the trays of utes or trucks
- Do not walk dogs during the heat of the day (if you cannot hold the back of your hand on the surface for 5 seconds, then it is too hot for your dog's paws)
RSPCA SA is also urging people to support wildlife by leaving shallow bowls of fresh, clean water in shady locations.
If using a large container, place a rock in the water so small animals can climb out. Other ways to support wildlife this summer include filling bird baths and having a sprinkler turned on during the heat of the day to enable hot birds to cool down. Livestock transporters should be aware of national welfare laws governing movement of livestock.
Details can be found at www.animalwelfarestandards.net.au/land-transport
