An ice cream van hosted by UK pet supplies retailer Pets at Home is touring the country and offering frozen treats for man’s best friend during these hot summer days.
According to the Express, the van has toured through cities and towns including Bristol, Great Yarmouth, and Derby, to dish out dog-friendly frozen yogurts free of charge.
The van was also recently seen in Worthing beach where Frozzys frozen yogurt was handed out from morning until afternoon on the 12th of August, according to Yahoo News UK.
Pets at Home had experts onboard the van to help dog owners understand the best ways to keep their beloved pups cool and relaxed during high temperatures.
The UK is set to experience 25 degrees celsius sunshine this weekend. On average, dog parents will stop going on their usual walks when the temperature hits 24°C, according to a study by Onepoll.com cited by the Daily Star.
Research from Pets at Home found that 63% of dog parents worry about their four-legged friend overheating, but 41% do not know how to safely help them cope in the heat.
To try to keep the pups cool, 35% would let them swim in open water, and 21% would pour ice cold water over their head, feet, and toes. However, these are two approaches that pet experts advise against.
“We love our pets, and want to do the right thing by them,” a spokesperson from Pets at Home stated. “But it’s clear from this research that many owners aren’t sure on the best way to help keep their dogs cool during hot summer weather.
“Dogs don’t sweat like humans, and instead cool themselves down by panting, but on really hot days, they’re likely to need extra help to bring their temperature down and avoid overheating,” the spokesperson added. “The best way to do this is to make sure they have cooling mats, shaded areas, and that they’re regularly drinking cool water. It’s fine to cool this using ice.”
Other findings showed that dog owners would struggle to spot if their dog was overheating, with 25% admitting they could not identify the symptoms.
Meanwhile 38% correctly named confusion as a sign, with an upset stomach (31%), and bright red or pale gums (19% ), also highlighted as key heatstroke indicators.
The research also found that dog owners do understand some of the steps you can take to keep dogs cool, with 70% keeping them out of hot conservatories or rooms, and 60% giving them cooling mats to lie on.
Pets at Home also shared tips on how to keep your dog cool in the summer including 1. knowing the signs of heatstroke, 2. keep them hydrated, 3. bringing shade 4. watching out for hot surfaces and 5. using dog friendly suncream.