When the mercury rises and the excitement of vacationing and outdoors activities kick in, the well being of animals can sometimes be forgotten, often with disastrous outcomes. So whether you are going camping, looking for some new summer vegan recipes, gardening ,or just transporting a companion animal in your car, read on for tips on how to ensure that summer is just as much fun for the animals as it is for you.

• Companion Animals and the sun
• Delicious Summer Eats - Tips & Recipes
• Camping
• Animal Friendly Entertainment
• Vacationing
• Gardening

Companion Animals and the sun

Direct sunlight can be a killer, so keep aquariums out of the sun. And while reptiles love sunshine, they still need a shady place to which they can escape. If you want to give your bird some fresh air, partly cover the bird's cage if you take it outside. Provide plenty of cool water for your animals, and make sure they have shade when they need it. Watch that your dogs or outdoor cats don't get sunburned.

Cars and Dogs

During summer, the temperature inside a parked car can climb to well above 37 degrees in just a matter of minutes. Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paw pads. Heat stroke can come on quickly and result in brain damage or death. Watch for symptoms such as restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, or lack of coordination. If your dog shows any of these symptoms, get her or him into the to shade immediately and call your veterinarian. Lower the animal's body temperature gradually by providing water to drink, applying a cold towel or ice pack to the head, neck, and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not cold) water.

Prevent heatstroke by taking these precautions:

• Never leave a dog in a parked car. On a 25-degree day, the temperature inside a shaded car is 32 degrees, while a car parked in the sun can reach 71 degrees in minutes. Animals can succumb to heatstroke in just 15 minutes.
• If you see a dog in a car, take down the car's colour, model, make and license plate number and have the owner paged inside the building, or call local humane authorities or police.
• Don't carry your dog in the bed of a pickup truck. This is always dangerous, but the heat brings the added danger of burning the dog's feet on the hot metal.
• Don't take your dog jogging-except on cool mornings or evenings-and don't force exercise. On long walks, rest often and bring plenty of water. Hot pavement can burn dogs' paws; choose shady, grassy routes.
• Trim heavy-coated dogs' fur, but leave an inch for protection against insects and sunburn. Keep an eye on areas where hair is thin, like eyelids, ears, and nose as they can get sunburned.
• Keep your dog indoors. If he or she must stay outside for long, avoid the hottest part of the day. Provide shade, water, and a kiddie pool. Keep drinking water in an anchored bucket or a heavy bowl that won't tip over.
• Be a watchdog for chained dogs. Make sure that they have food, water, and shelter. If you see a dog in distress, contact humane authorities. Give the dog immediate relief by providing water.

Delicious Summer Eats - Tips & Recipes

During summer the warm weather does nothing to slow our appetites or quell our taste buds. Cool off with some of these recipes and tips, safe in the knowledge that no animals suffered or died to sustain you.

• Soy ice cream, available at most grocery stores and some specialty ice cream stores, is healthier to eat than dairy-based ice cream because it contains far less saturated fat and cholesterol, and is far more compassionate to the animals. Brand name soy ice creams available in Canada include: Soy Delicious (their Purely Decadent line is excellent), Tofutti, Rice Dream, and Cool Hemp.
• Visit your local farmer's market and buy lots of fresh organic vegetables. They're great for grilling and you'll be supporting earth-friendly farming.
• If you're not already vegetarian, choose one meal per day or one day each week to go meat-free. Try it, you might like it! And the animals and the environment will definitely thank you.
• Instead of barbecuing a piece of an animal, opt for veggies - nothing beats barbecued corn on the cob and veggie kebabs.

Click here for Vegan Recipes

Camping

When we camp we inevitably intrude on the lives of wild animals. Conflicts between humans and wildlife abound at campgrounds, most commonly when animals are attracted to campsites. Reduce conflicts by limiting access and removing attractants. Keep a clean camp. Black bears have an excellent sense of smell and are attracted by food odors. Dirty dishes and garbage may lure bears to your camp. Wash dishes immediately and dump the water away from camp (at least 150 feet away from any lakes or wetlands). If a bear enters your campsite, remain calm. Bears are usually easily scared away. Make sure the bear has a clear escape route, and then yell, wave, or bang pots and pans together.

Many animals (raccoons in particular) have an uncanny ability of opening things, so ice chests and trash receptacles need lids reinforced by rope or a large rock. Store food and sweet-smelling toiletries in a canvas bag or pack suspended from a tree limb so bears and other animals can't reach it. (Do not store food in your tent.)

Be aware that deer, chipmunks, raccoons, and other animals look friendly, but their sharp hooves or claws, teeth, or antlers can cause serious injury to humans.

Don't feed wildlife. Human food does not contain the nutrients that wild animals need. Many animals require more moisture than is in the typical human handout. Animals who become habituated to handouts -- including bears who hang around campgrounds even if no one is there -- eventually come to be regarded as "nuisance animals," thus opening the door to animal control officers shooting them.

Responsible camping does not endanger the environment. Follow these guidelines:

• Stay on roads and trails.
• Whenever possible, use existing campsites.
• Observe all fire restrictions and use only fallen timber or bring your own firewood to your campfire. Make sure the fire is completely extinguished before leaving it unattended.
• Use only biodegradable / phosphate-free soaps and detergents.
• In areas without toilets, bury your waste and used toilet paper in a shallow hole (6-8" deep) at least 200 feet from water sources, campsites, or trails. Cover and disguise the hole with natural materials.
• Take all your garbage, recyclable materials, and food scraps out with you along with garbage left by previous visitors.
• Leave natural surroundings as you found them.
• Opt for a kayaking or canoe excursion instead of jet skis or power boats. You'll be helping the environment and giving the fish, and other campers, a rest from all that noise.
• Don't go fishing. Contrary to what some people think fish do have nervous systems and experience agonising pain when impaled on a hook.

Animal Friendly Entertainment

Make your summer fun reflect your concern for animals by refusing to patronize events or facilities that exploit animals. Urge others to do the same. Avoid these particularly objectionable attractions:

• Circuses

  Animals used in the circus spend the majority of the year imprisoned in small cages, traveling from show to show. Tigers are rarely allowed out of their cages, which are often barely large enough for the cats to turn around. Elephants spend the majority of their time chained in place. Training endured by circus animals is almost always based on intimidation; trainers must break the animals' spirit to control them.

  When the circus comes to your town, attend the circus as an educator not a patron by handing out informational flyers to those attending the circus. While those you speak to may attend the circus anyway, they may make a different choice next year after they have had time to think about the lives the animal are forced to live in the name of entertainment. Click here to learn more about GAN's circus campaign.

• Marine Theme Parks

  Patrons who visit such facilities see only abnormal animal behaviour, since all aspects of the captive animals' lives are manipulated to present entertaining animal experiences. Animals are rarely seen mating, fighting, foraging, migrating, or interacting with other species. Habitats are artificial, lacking the size, complexity, and ecosystem dynamics found in native environments. Marine mammals simply cannot behave normally when deprived of their natural habitat and social structure. The real message conveyed is not one of respect but rather that it's acceptable to abuse nature.

• Rodeos

  Rodeos are promoted as rough and tough exercises of human skill and courage in conquering the fierce, untamed beasts of the Wild West. In reality, rodeos are nothing more than manipulative displays of human domination over animals, thinly disguised as entertainment.

  Electric prods, sharp sticks, caustic ointments, and other torturous devices are used to irritate and enrage animals used in rodeos. The flank or "bucking" strap used to make horses and bulls buck is tightly cinched around their abdomens, where there is no rib cage protection. Tightened near the large and small intestines and other vital organs, the belt pinches the groin and genitals.

• Zoos

  Despite their professed concern for animals, zoos remain more "collections" of interesting "items" than actual havens or simulated habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals in captivity, bored, cramped, lonely, and far from their natural homes. Zoos claim to educate people and preserve species, but they frequently fall short on both counts. Most zoo enclosures are quite small, and labels provide little more information than the species' name, diet, and natural range. The animals' normal behaviour is seldom discussed, much less observed, because their natural needs are seldom met.

Vacationing

A little advance research and keeping to some simple do's and don'ts can make traveling with your companion animal one of life's great joys.

• You can acclimate your companion to travel with a few short rides, or use a carrying case, but some animals may be too ill or physically impaired to withstand the rigors of travel, even if your veterinarian can supply medication or sedatives to reduce or eliminate motion sickness, constant agitation, and crying.
• Are animals welcome? Whether staying with friends along the way, or at hotels, motels, parks, or campgrounds, find out in advance. When making reservations, be prepared to put down a deposit, pay extra, and be interviewed about your animal.
• Before a long trip, have a veterinarian examine your animal. Ask your vet if she knows of a vet in the area you will be traveling. Keep the telephone numbers handy.
• Keep your vehicle cool with sunshades on back windows and the tailgate window. Make sure the air conditioner works. Tie a plastic bag full of ice cubes in front of the duct. Use a fan that plugs into the cigarette lighter as well.
• Keep your animal cool with freezer blocks (used for picnic coolers). Place a large freezer block covered by a sheet under your animal, making sure she isn't shivering. Provide plenty of fresh, cool drinking water.

When You Pack Don't Forget:

• Rabies/vaccination records, license, recent photos.
• Leash, collar, and a new ID tag with your animal's name, your name, your cell phone number, contact information at your destination.
• Familiar things, such as food, blankets, bedding, and toys, to provide stability.
• Pooper-scooper, litter supplies, plastic bags, cleaning supplies.
• Grooming supplies such as brush, comb, toothbrush, shampoo, wet-naps, clippers
• First aid kit that includes peroxide, cotton balls, bandages & wrap, antibiotic ointment, flea spray, buffered aspirin, and tweezers (for when you encounter ticks).
• All needed prescription medications.

On the Road

• Stop often for exercise and potty breaks. Bring water from home or buy it distilled or purified, since water from places other than home can cause stomach upset and diarrhoea. Stick to your regular feeding routine and give the main meal at the end of the day or when you've reached your destination.
• If animals ride with their heads outside car windows, dirt particles can penetrate the eyes, ears, and nose, causing injury or infections. Excessive amounts of cold air taken into lungs can also cause illness.
• Grooming (bathing, combing, nail trim) before the trip will make the animal more comfortable.
• Small animals can travel in kennels secured in the car; seat belts and harnesses are available for larger animals. Sudden stops can hurt animals just as much as people.

Gardening

Keep animals in mind when planning and growing your garden, and remember:

• The presence of birds and other free-roaming animals is generally a sign of healthy land and water.
• An animal who eats a lovingly grown tomato or a clump of beautiful black-eyed susans is obtaining needed nutrients in a human-manipulated landscape.
• You can dissuade animals from eating your garden without harming them. Fencing, non-toxic repellents, scare devices, and other methods are effective. Patience and persistence is the key.

Insecticides and other pesticides hurt not only endangered species but members of thriving species, such as squirrels, woodchucks, opossums, rabbits, and raccoon. Pesticides can kill at high blood levels, and at low levels affect vision, reflexes, and other faculties, hence some birds collide with power lines. Birds of many species are more abundant where people heed warnings against pesticide use for lawn maintenance. The grass may be greener, but birds and other animals -- including companion dogs and cats -- can only visit at the risk of death or illness. Instead of using pesticides, check your local library for books on integrated pest management methods.