Surge in hot weather advice searches amid UK heatwave

The RSPCA has already seen a 77% rise in people visiting its advice pages about how dogs can die on hot walks, as temperatures are set to top 25°C this week.

Users of the charity’s website searching for advice have surged from 46,431 people from January to August this year, compared to 26,143 for the same period in 2022.

Visitors to the charity’s other online hot weather advice pages have also seen a rise, as more people sought information about heatstroke in dogs (up 11%) and not leaving dogs to die in hot cars (up 2.3%).

Amid fears that some may still be caught unprepared by this sudden heatwave, the RSPCA has renewed its plea for pet lovers to take heed of its tips on how to protect animals in hot weather, preventing animals from suffering or even death.

RSPCA dog welfare expert Esme Wheeler said: “Hot weather can be a secret killer for animals, with sunstroke, overheating, burnt pads from hot pavement and dehydration causing major problems.

“By following our top tips for keeping pets cools, as well as familiarising themselves with the signs of heatstroke in pets, owners will be taking responsible steps to keep their animals safe this week. With just a few simple tweaks to their routine, animal lovers can really make a huge difference to  pets’ comfort during the hot weather, and in some cases, may well be saving their lives.”