Megan, hard at work

As you may remember from an earlier post, Megan set up her lemonade stand in the Sammamish Highlands Shopping Center on a recent Saturday morning. The stand itself was assembled from a kit provided by Crayons All Natural Beverage company as a part of their national Pink Lemonade Brigade promotion. The Clays decorated the stand with Seattle Humane Society materials and pictures of some of the animals available for adoption at the shelter. Megan's mom, Richell Clay, says that Megan had a great time. "It was a wonderful experience for her and she is very proud of herself that she helped to raise money for the Seattle Humane Society."

Megan turning in her donation to Adoption Manager Lauren at the Seattle Humane Society

The stand brought in $219, which Megan hand delivered to the Seattle Humane Society later that day. She's a terrific example of how anyone and everyone can find a way to step up and make a difference in the lives of animals.

Summer not only brings lemonade stands, but it also brings risk for our companion animals. With temperatures hovering around 90 last weekend, I was out and about early with my canine trio, trying to make sure we got our in our exercise before the hottest part of the day. On most days, it's easier for me to get the gang out around mid-day, but with the mercury rising I need to be sure that I make the dogs' needs a priority.

Check out the Seattle Humane Society's advice on keeping your pets cool and safe this summer. And remember that every companion animal has a different threshold for overheating. At 100 lbs, I find that my St. Bernard mix Max heats up much faster, and can tolerate far less direct sunlight than his 70lb packmate, Mishka, who's happy to run and play on all but the hottest days.

Of course, this week weather isn't the only issue. We all know that the Fourth of July isn't the favorite holiday of any dog or cat. Loud noises make most animals skittish, and for some the explosive noise of this celebration pushes a very primal panic button. "The sound of fireworks can scare pets and cause them to escape from a yard or dart out an open door to find themselves lost in the dark," says Brenda Barnette, Chief Executive Officer for the Seattle Humane Society, "Frightened, they are at an even higher risk of running into the street where they could be hit by a car."

I'm probably going to stay home with my crew this year since it is our first Fourth with both Max and Mishka, but there are lots of things you can do to make the Fourth of July safe for your pets, without missing out on the action. My favorite is to set up a secure, soothing space for both the dogs and the cats, with the TV or radio on in the room to provide some background noise. A peanut butter-stuffed Kong, or a new cat nip toy can also go a long way towards distracting your pets and keeping them occupied. Check out this tip sheet from the Seattle Humane Society for more ideas on getting through this Fourth of July weekend without adding to either your or your companion animals' stress.

Have a great holiday,

Lynn
lynnseattlehumane@gmail.com