AUSTIN, Texas —
The Austin Zoo has many different protocols in place to help keep its animals cool in the Texas heat.
Hope Carr, the zoo's education manager, said a lot of people tend to be concerned about how these animals handle the Texas heat. But she said many of them come from hot places with warm climates and are used to it.
However, for the animals who are not, the zoo takes different precautions.
Staff make different frozen treats for a lot of the animals. The treats are made with chicken and beef blood for the carnivores and fruits, juices and milk for the others.
There are fans in some of the animals' areas, and zoo staff also spray them down to help keep them cool. Some animals even have pools and sprinklers in their exhibits.
"A lot of these animals do have the possibility of overheating. You know, we want to give them opportunities to cool off so that they can stay healthy and happy in their environment here," Carr said, adding, "A lot of them do also have indoor areas that they can retreat to that are air conditioned or have fans going to keep them cool. But yeah, it's just a primary part of keeping them happy and healthy here."
Some of the things the zoo does for its animals could also work for the animals in our homes.
Your cats, dogs and other pets can also overheat, so you want to make sure to keep a close eye on them. Don't walk them on concrete or asphalt in the extreme heat to protect their paws from getting burned.
Pets also can't tell you when they are hot, so you have to be on the lookout for different signs.
"If your dog is panting excessively and their tongues hanging out farther, if you're noticing some discoloration, some redness in their eyes, if they're laying down more repeatedly on walks or when they're outside, there are signs to look out for," Carr said.
"Cats are a little bit more subtle. But your cat even may start panting, too, if they're outside sometimes. And that's a good indication that it's time to give them an opportunity to cool off," Carr added.
For your pets, you want to keep them inside when it's too hot outside and make sure they have plenty of water.
Carr said you can also do frozen treats for your pets, as well as other things to keep them stimulated when they aren't able to be outside as much as they might be used to.