Pet Safety Tips for Your Furry Friends
June 12, 2024
With all this “fun in the sun,” we want our whole family to be able to join in. That includes our furry friends, too! So, what ways can we help our pets stay safe in the heat?
For starters, when taking your dog for a walk in the summer, remember to check the temperature of the pavement and road before heading out. Dogs have sensitive paw pads that often get burned when walking on hot pavement. A quick trick to ensure that your pup is safe to walk is by placing the palm of your hand flat against the road or pavement that you both will be walking on. If the pavement is too hot to hold your own hand on it for five seconds, then it is probably too hot for your dog to walk on. Taking your pets on walks can be a great summer exercise, a way to bond with one another, and enjoy the nice weather. If it is too hot to walk, try going in the evenings when it is cooler or walking in areas that are not paved (such as hiking trails).
Our furry friends with flat faces, such as pugs, bulldogs, and Persian cats, can have an especially hard time in the heat. Due to the flat structure of their faces, they have a harder-than-usual time with panting—a method animals use to cool themselves. We can help by providing cool spaces to combat overheating. For pets with heart or lung issues and those that are elderly or are otherwise overweight, we should also try to avoid extended time in the heat.
Another way to protect your pet from overheating is to ensure a proper groom. In the summer, we tend to think shaving down our pets will help cool them, but really, an animal’s coat is crucial to how their body regulates temperature. By completely shaving your pet, it can send them into shock, making it harder for them to stay cool. Regularly brushing your pet will help maintain their coat and prevent matting, which is another reason many pets need to be shaved. A summer groom can definitely include a trim, but one should try to avoid a complete shave down.
So how can you know if your pet may be overheating? Animals show signs similar to humans when they begin to overheat! Look out for sudden weakness or slow movement, collapse, and heavy or excessive breathing. Animals will also begin to drool excessively or even begin to have diarrhea or vomiting. Knowing the warning signs can better prepare you to prevent an emergency situation.
We tend to see our pets as an extension of our families, so let’s remember their safety this summer as well!
For more information on how to keep your pets safe this summer, visit aspca.org/pet-care
for more information.
Reference: Hot Weather Safety Tips | ASPCA
Since December 2024, donors have contributed an impressive $1,443,000 to
the GBU Foundation, establishing new scholarship, educational grant and
donor-advised charitable funds. These gifts help to shape a brighter future for
students, communities and charitable causes across the country.
Legacy giving, also known as planned giving, is a meaningful way to leave behind an impact on the causes and organizations you care about. By incorporating life insurance and annuities into your estate planning, you can maximize the benefits of your legacy gifts, ensuring they are both impactful and tax efficient.
As we move into the second quarter of another exciting year, I want to take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments and share some of the new initiatives we are implementing in the realms of sales, marketing and community engagement. Over the past year, GBU Life has reached significant milestones thanks to the dedication and hard work of our team and the trust and support of our members. Our sales department has exceeded targets, and we have expanded our reach to more communities than ever before. We have launched several successful marketing campaigns that have not only increased our visibility but have also strengthened our brand's presence in the industry. For this year, our focus will be educating potential new members on the importance of securing their financial futures through life insurance and annuity products while serving their communities as part of our great Society. Looking ahead, we are committed to enhancing our sales strategies to better serve you. We are introducing some tools for our agents to enhance our products. One new tool is our Defined Benefit Annuity program which combines the Future Flex Fixed Index Annuity (FIA) with a software tool that can help determine retirement savings needs and break them down into contributions over time to help you meet your retirement goals. Be sure to keep in touch with your GBU agent to review your plans and products to see how adding an FIA to your retirement planning can help boost your savings efforts
GBU members between the ages of three and nine years old can enter their colored page in this year's contest, which is themed Pawprints on My Heart. Three age categories will be judged as follows: Category I: Ages three and four Category II: Ages five and six Category III: Ages seven, eight and nine Entrants may use crayons, colored pencils, markers or watercolor paints. Entries will be accepted through Monday, August 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The picture on the next page can be reproduced, or copies can be obtained by calling the Community Engagement Team at the GBU Home Office (800-765-4428) or by printing the image above. Cash Prizes for Each Category First prize: $75 Second prize: $50 Third prize: $30 How to Enter Send the three- to nine-year-old GBU member's coloring contest entry with their name and address on the colored page to: GBU Life ATTN: Member Benefits 4254 Saw Mill Run Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15227-3394. Or email contest@gbu.org with "Coloring Contest Entry” as the subject line. General Information Judges reserve the right to accept or reject any or all entries. Their decisions will be final. Artwork will be handled at the GBU Home Office with the utmost care. GBU reserves the right to reproduce entries for whatever use it wishes, provided proper credit is given. Permission does not include the sale of such work.
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