Climate Change Isn’t Just A Human Problem, It’s Affecting Our Pets Too

It seems like every other day we're hearing about another species or wildlife habitat being threatened by global warming but what about our furry friends at home?

Sadly, climate change is already impacting our pet's lives.

So, on behalf of our silently suffering companions, here's a few tips to ensure your favourite furball lives a long and healthy life in the face of climate change.

Hartz

Every Season Is Flea Season

If you're a pet owner, you're well aware of the dangers of fleas and ticks. But with each year getting warmer on average, fleas and ticks are now free to give your four-legged friend dermatitis, lyme disease, tulameria and a whole list of other sicknesses across every season.

To put it simply, flea treatment is now an all-year round thing.

Associated Press

Extreme Heat Events

Extreme heat is deadlier than any other weather-related hazard on earth, on average causing more human deaths annually than tornadoes, floods or hurricanes.

If you're not one to let your pet enjoy the comforts of indoor AC, always make sure they have access to well ventilated shade and plenty of cool fresh water.

If they're particularly furry, cold wet towels will help bring their temperature down on extreme days.

PA Images

Heartworm Warning

Heartworm is probably one of the nastiest things your best friend could pick up in their lifetime.

And now that mosquitos are making use of warmer weather and excessive rainfall to spread their love (read disease) farther and wider across the globe for longer periods, your poor old pet is now even more likely to get a heartworm ridden mozzie bite throughout the year.

Dr. Greg Ebel, professor of infectious disease at Colorado State University said, "I don't know why a person wouldn't give his dog heartworm pills once a month. That seems like a no-brainer."

PA Images

More Heat, Means More Time On Heat

Longer, warmer weather means longer lust cycles for cats, leading to more feral cats, leading to the spread of more disease.

So, unless you're in the business of breeding cats or raising several litters to be your unholy army of the night, get your cat fixed and help limit pet sickness in your area.

As the old saying goes: "Prevention is better than cure"; and many of the planet warming threats facing our beloved fuzz muffins are preventable. We just need to remember that global warming isn't something that's happening in some far-away place. It's happening here and now, in our own backyards.

To help combat the climate threats facing Australia's beloved Great Barrier Reef, click here and help this living, breathing Aussie icon, become a living breathing Aussie citizen. She deserves the same rights and protections as every Aussie; and most importantly, the right to life.

Topics: Environment, climate change, Animals, Australia, Citizen Reef

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