Dearest readers,
As we head into summer, I am so happy to see things opening up in our world with most of us finding a new normal in our daily lives. It has been a very rough year and a half for everyone, and it feels good to see things moving in a forward motion again.
And speaking of summer and the unprecedented heat we are having, it is more important than ever to take care and be aware of the heat with all of our pets. It can be deadly to our pets and cause great harm to them. Please take all precautions by making sure they are in the house and have sufficient water and please leave them at home, rather in your car in this heat. Temperatures can rise quickly and kill a dog left in a car in a matter of minutes. I would also like to remind you that the pavement can also reach extreme temperatures so if the ground is too hot for you to walk on barefoot, then so it is for your dog. Walks should be limited to early morning or late evening when the temperatures cool down and you might even want to consider Paw Protectors or shoes for them to protect their feet from the burning heat.
Another thing that always concerns me is dogs being scared so badly during the 4th of July fireworks and monsoons. Shelters see a rise in dogs and cats coming in that have run away due to firecrackers and storms that we see during this time. Please take care to keep them inside in a comfortable place where they feel safe. Also, please consider getting them microchipped if they are not already and wear a collar with tags on them identifying you and your phone number in case they are lost. Our pets depend on us to make good decisions to keep them safe during times that might make them fearful.
On the cover this issue, we are happy to bring you a group that does a lot to help people through therapy dogs. Since before, during and after the COVID outbreak, Pet Partners has been doing lots of work to help those in need of some loving paws. This is a fantastic organization that has been around for many years and is helping college students, police departments, kids, seniors and more through their incredible programs. I hope you will enjoy this wonderful story as much as I did that proves how much our beloved pets enrich all of our lives every day.
Also, I am very excited to announce that as of this issue, you will find The Tucson Dog in 12 Safeway stores around Tucson. We have also been in all the Albertson’s stores for over a year now as well in case you weren’t aware.
Please have a safe and healthy Independence Day!
Love, Light & Laughter,
Ann
