Summer safety tips

Though the mornings are deceptively cool, it is definitely summer here in Poughkeepsie.

The warmer months, as we are all aware, can be bad for pets.

The Humane Society of the United States has some tips for keeping pets safe and healthy during the summer.

See them here.

They, of course, include never leaving your pet in the car or put it in the back of a truck.

It is very dangerous, and in some states illegal, to drive with a dog in the back of a pick-up truck. Not only can flying debris cause serious injury, but a dog may be unintentionally thrown into traffic if the driver suddenly hits the brakes, swerves, or is hit by another car. Dogs should ride either in the cab (in a crate or wearing a seat belt harness designed for dogs) or in a secured crate in the bed of the truck.

And a reminder since today is the Fourth of July, please make sure your pets have identification tags, so if they happen to get spooked by the fireworks and get out of the house or yard they can be returned to you.

Happy July 4th, everyone.

Say 'no' to puppy mills

Even though nothing could be cuter than a new puppy bounding around a Christmas tree, the holidays are probably not the best time to introduce a new pet into a household.

Another concern, from the Humane Society of the United States, is that people who do get a puppy make sure they are not unwittingly supporting the "puppy mill" industry.

Read this article in the North Country Gazette from Chestertown, N.Y.

Simple advice: Don’t purchase puppies from a pet store, from a Web site, from a classified ad — or from any source where you cannot be absolutely certain that you are dealing with a reputable breeder. The HSUS urges families to first consider adoption from local shelters or rescue groups, where healthy, loving animals need nothing so much as a happy family this holiday.

Some puppy mill facts from the article:

• Dogs receive little to no medical care.
• Dogs live in squalid conditions.
• Dogs are confined in cramped wire cages.
• Dogs receive no exercise, socialization or human interaction.

There are so many dogs in shelters across the country that it doesn't make sense to risk getting a dog from a puppy mill.

Happy, but safe, holidays for pets

This time of year, with all the festivities and decorations, it is important to keep in mind how pets figure into all of this.

Safety is utmost, especially with tinsel, ornaments and lights — not to mention food and treats that are fine for humans but bad for pets.

Martha Stewart's Marc Marrone has some suggestions, as does the Humane Society of the United States.

A couple of hints from the Humane Society:

* Decorations such as tinsel, glass ornaments and garlands can easily attract pets, but are dangerous choking hazards. Electric decorations such as stringed lights can give your pets a shock should they chew on the wires. Keep decorations out of their reach.

* The unusual commotion of the holiday season can be stressful on animals as well as humans. Put your pets in a quiet room or quiet area of the house when guests are visiting.

* Certain plants such as Mistletoe berries, and the leaves, stem and flowers of the Poinsettia can be dangerous to pets. Be sure to keep these plants well out of the reach of animals in your home, or consider using artificial versions.

Photo by Karl Rabe/Poughkeepsie Journal file

Warm weather warning

Hey, people, it's getting warm out there. So here's a reminder that you should not leave your dog in the car.

The Humane Society of the United States said that, as much as we love having our dogs with us, the combination of cars and summer heat can be deadly.

On a warm, sunny day windows collect light, trapping heat inside the vehicle, and pushing the temperature inside to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree Fahrenheit day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within ten minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. At 110 degrees, pets are in danger of heatstroke. On hot and humid days, the temperature in a car parked in direct sunlight can rise more than 30 degrees per minute, and quickly become lethal.

And whether or not your dog can drive, like this television comedy clip shows, Fido may not have read the manual about turning on the A/C.