BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — While many people are trying to stay cool in these sizzling temperatures, there are growing concerns about pets kept outside year-round.
During Monday afternoon’s Brunswick County Commissioners meeting, the head of an animal shelter spoke to commissioners about the need to protect dogs left out in the heat.
Mary Ann Harris, the owner of Homestead Animal Rescue, spoke about the need to change county ordinance to allow a “shade law”, which would require dogs kept outside to have a shaded area to stay under.
Harris said keeping dogs and their shelter in direct sunlight can be dangerous and even deadly for the animal.
“A blue barrel will get up to 130 degrees, some of the igloos get up to 120, a wooden doghouse will be 110, especially a day like today,” Harris said. “So if an animal does not have the ability to get any shade, not only is it in direct sunlight, but their water, they can’t drink it. It’s over 100 degrees. So many of these animals are going to suffer this summer.”
“They will dehydrate, they will possibly, well eventually they could possibly die if they’re in poor condition but they can get, go into heat stroke and it’s really a sad, sad situation.”
During her short presentation to the commissioners, Harris also suggested the formation of a public advisory board that would help address issues involving animals, with the board being made up of one commissioner, the sheriff, someone from the county shelter, and another member from a local rescue.
Commissioner Randy Thompson said Harris will get with the county’s and Sheriff’s Office legal council to look at possible changes to the county ordinance, something he thinks would be good for the county.
“Now once she does that and our legal staff has an opportunity to review it and put that into the terminology that our officers can go out and enforce, then I think we’ll be in a better place,” Thompson said.
Harris said a case she had been following involving a husky kept outside and not given water for 3 days was resolved Monday when the owner was told by animal control to put up a tarp for the dog.
She said a shade law would allow law enforcement to remove pets from similar situations.
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