The heat is on

It’s a good guess that most of the time, our perspective and that of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — most often known by its acronym, PETA — won’t necessarily occupy the same space on a spectrum. But disagreeing some of the time doesn’t mean there can never be any agreement at all, something a lot of us in the current climate need to be reminded of.

One of our neighbors delivered the heartbreaking news the other day that, while in someone else’s care, their beloved dog died after a heatstroke in Arkansas’ summer conditions. Nobody intended any harm and never expected the outcome, a reminder for us all to be mindful of the dangers of warm temperatures for our pets.

On Thursday, PETA urged us and other outlets to make a common-sense plea during high temperatures and sunshine: Keep animals indoors; never leave an animal inside a hot vehicle, in which temperatures can soar in a matter of minutes, even in shade with windows cracked open; avoid walking pets across hot pavement, which can burn dogs’ paws; and never run with dogs in hot weather because they will often collapse before giving up.

Northwest Arkansas is home to more animals than humans. Those within the care of humans deserve to be treated humanely. The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a heat advisory for our region that continues today, and dangerous temperatures will likely continue to visit our corner of the world for the next couple of months. Watch out for our furry and feathered friends.