Tips to keep your pets safe during heat

NORFOLK, VA. (WAVY) - Pet owners need to take special care of their animals during the sizzling summer months.

"If you feel hot outside, your pet probably feels ten times hotter than you do," Heather Smith with the Norfolk Care and Adoption Center said.

Lisa Barlow with Norfolk SPCA says all animals should simply be kept inside as much as possible during high temperatures.

"All animals should be kept inside in these temperatures," Barlow said. "These temperatures they're not safe for humans, they're not safe for pets"

Workers at the SPCA created a makeshift water park for dogs.

"They're panting as soon as we bring them outside," Kari Vincent said. "They're uncomfortable right away, so we have people supervising them while they're out here"

Barlow says owners shouldn't leave their pets inside of their vehicles.

"[Car temperatures] can shoot up to 140 degrees in a car in fifteen minutes if your air-conditioner is not on," Barlow said.