Hillsborough County’s shelter needs help protecting animals from the summer heat. The shelter is over capacity and only three of its seven kennels have air conditioning.
Pet Resource Center director Chelsea Waldeck said there are about 260 animals in the shelter.
Under normal conditions, the shelter can handle the heat, Waldeck said. But with so many animals there this year, it's been hard to find air-conditioned areas for all of them.
Older animals and those with medical conditions -- along with bulldogs -- need the most help right now, she said.
“That's why we're really looking for a lot of adopters and fosters at this time to try and help relieve kind of the strains that we have on the kennel and be able to get the dogs that truly need to be in the air conditioning out of the heat,” Waldeck said.
Challenges the shelter is facing
The shelter is one of the oldest in the state. It was built in the 1980s and opened in the 1990s.
Most municipal shelters do not have AC, so Waldeck said Hillsborough is fortunate that some of its kennels do.
The shelter studied whether it would be cost effective to equip all kennels with AC, but it wasn't feasible due to the way the kennels were built, Waldeck said.
The shelter has fans on the outside and inside of the kennels, and staff members keep all of the floors cool by hosing them down.
“We're keeping the fans running at full blast,” Waldeck said.
Animals at the shelter are able to go inside or outside throughout the day, choosing whether they want to be in or out.
Waldeck said the shelter staff routinely walks through kennels to make sure no animals are overheating.
If an animal appears to be experiencing heat-related illnesses, staff members take them to the veterinary services area, she said.
And even though the shelter is at full capacity, Waldeck said it is still accepting admissions.
“We're finding space and using offices as we need to,” she said. “We're extremely fortunate to not have to turn anybody away, and we don't want to.”
Waldeck said a lot of the pets at the shelter are facing malnutrition because heat-related illnesses cause lethargy and loss of appetite.
“We're seeing a lot of these strays coming in that don't have a lot of meat on their bones because they're not eating as much,” she said.
How to help
The shelter tries to find a match for families and their lifestyles for those who are interested in adopting.
There's also the option to foster for those who are not ready to fully commit but still want to help.
Shelter animals can be taken on a day trip through the county’s Adventure Tails program.
This allows people to pick up a dog for the day or overnight, as the shelter calls “sleepovers.”
“We have fosters that take dogs out for the day to cool off for a little bit or out for a pup cup,” she said.
For those not ready for fostering or adopting, Waldeck said the shelter always needs donations – especially in this heat.
Broth without onions, peanut butter, applesauce and canned pumpkin are great donations the shelter can use to make ice popsicles.
Towels, blankets and sheets are also helpful because staff members can soak them in water and put them in the refrigerator to make them cold.
The shelter has an Amazon wish list with more detailed items that people can donate.
Donations can be delivered in person during business hours at the shelter, 440 N. Falkenburg Road.
How to protect your pets
Waldeck said everybody should be especially cautious with their pets during this heat wave.
The shelter recommends short bursts of walks — nothing more than five or 10 minutes at a time.
The best time to walk your dogs is early in the morning or later in the evening.
“If you are taking your dog out during the day, make sure that you're testing the asphalt or the concrete that you're walking them on with your own hand first,” Waldeck said.
It is also essential to make sure there's plenty of shade and access to fresh, clean water.
Still, if you notice your dog is panting so hard that it's hard for it to catch its breath, that's a signal you need to cool it off.
You should make sure they've got good color in their gums and their tongue — meaning not seeing any paleness, Waldeck said.
If your pets aren't eating as much, it's crucial to get them hydrated first, then offer them some soft food. This way, they can start regaining some of their strength.
