It’s summer again and it’s easy to forget the safety measures we all need to take to keep our pets healthy and happy all summer. Arizona’s heat is hard for our furry friends, but taking extra care will help ensure that they have a good summer. Here are a few reminders.

Don’t leave any living creature in a car in the summer heat. Temperatures in a car can quickly reach slow-cooker level, and even a five-minute trip can do permanent damage to a small body like a pet’s. Leave your pets at home when running errands.

Make sure your pet has plenty of water and shade. If you ever leave your pets outside, make sure they have shade to protect them from the sun – pets can get sunburned too – and plenty of fresh water in a non-spill bowl. If possible, don’t leave pets outside any longer than it takes them to do their business.

Don’t walk your pet on hot sidewalks. Most people don’t realize that dog paws are as sensitive to heat as our bare feet. One easy way to find out if a sidewalk is too hot is to put the back of your hand on the sidewalk in the sun. If you can’t leave it there for 10 seconds comfortably, it’s too hot for your pet. Walking your dog on those sidewalks can do irreparable damage in a short period of time.

Make sure your pet knows how to get out of your pool. It may seem like dogs know how to swim automatically, but if they fall in your pool and don’t know the way out, they can end up drowning as they tire from constant swimming. Either keep your pool gate closed when your dogs are outside or work with your pets so that they know how to get out of the pool. Of course, some dogs love to swim and you may have to plan on including them in your family’s pool activities.

Pay attention to pet safety in the summer and you, your family, and your pets can have a great time even in the heat.