High heat forces animal adoption event indoors

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Around 30 dogs at Beauties and Beasts ‘Bow Wow Luau’ were dressed and ready for a trip to the pool Sunday afternoon - but the triple-digit temperatures brought the luau inside. The event was scheduled to last month, but high heat that day also altered plans, canceling the event until now.

“There was a heat advisory in June, so we had this all scheduled at Hyde Park, right across from Central Standard brewery,” said Beauties and Beasts Volunteer McRae Steven. “We love doing it there, but we had that heat advisory, so we had to cancel everything for everybody’s health.”

Volunteers say the move was necessary for the workers, guests, and dogs to stay safe.

“We don’t advise you to do that at this time of day,” Steven said. “It doesn’t matter how hot it is. It’s getting hotter and hotter by the afternoon.”

Some tips to keep your dog safe in the heat include keeping them indoors whenever possible, keeping them off the hot concrete during walks, and monitoring how much exercise they are getting in the heat not to overwork themselves.

“If they want to play fetch, you need to be playing at night or in the morning,” said Steven. “Be conscious of that because overheating is happening a lot. And I think I’ve noticed that way more than usual.”

Copyright 2022 KWCH. All rights reserved.