PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As the temperature has inched closer and closer to 100 degrees all week, ACCT Philly, the city’s only open intake animal shelter, has been fielding more and more calls from concerned citizens about pets left outdoors in excessive heat.
The city actually has ordinances in place to protect animals, and violators could face hundreds of dollars in fines.
Rachel Schumacher, ACCT animal care manager, said the facility has been getting calls “day and night.”
This week, two stray dogs were found on the grounds of Northeast High School suffering from heat stroke. They are recovering at an animal hospital and will soon go to a shelter.
“These dogs had a temperature of 106 and 108, which is very high for a dog. Normal is between 98 and 102,” said Schumacher. “If it wasn’t for emergency rendering by our amazing medical staff, those dogs would not be here today.”
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However, Schumacher noted it is legal to keep your pet outdoors, as long as city rules are followed.
“Dogs have to be able to be afforded multiple shade areas that can accommodate their whole body,” she explained. “We suggest that animals should not be outside for more than 15 minutes. Cats have an easier way to go and find places to hide in the shade; dogs do not.
“If you have a shelter outside for your animal, it needs to be at least 4 inches off the ground. They need to have potable, clean water available to them. [The shelter] needs to have air flaps on the front of it to create that shade in there as well.”
The animal’s area also needs to be free of excessive dirt, trash and waste.
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Depending on the violations — and whether or not the Pennsylvania SPCA Humane Law Enforcement gets involved — fines could be anywhere from $25 to $500, or more.
Pets left outdoors in severe weather can be reported to ACCT at 267-385-3800. Dial 1 to speak with the dispatcher.