HOWL - combatting dog theft

20/07/2026

Wow - such an amazing outcome! Welcome home, Smaila!

Smaila is a toy poodle who was stolen from her owner’s vehicle back in 2022.

What happened to her in those four years? I can’t even begin to imagine the fear that Smaila felt, and I really hope she was well looked after. That said, she’d been dumped in a lay-by, so that could tell the real story.

This is why I always say: Prevention Is Better Than Found.

23/06/2026

Insane! I knew tarmac gets hotter than the air temp, but this just goes to show the difference. And we’re not even in the hottest part of the day yet 😞

Please, PLEASE, don’t walk your dog in these temperatures. As the saying goes - no dog ever died from missing one walk…

And the current temperature of the tarmac in Stourport , West Midlands is 55.6C - 12:41pm
23/6/26 .

Yes, I am that much of a nerd .
Vicky

23/06/2026

This!!

Please keep them home and cool

A pavement in full sun can reach around 50–60°C. For a comparison, that is less like walking on a warm path and more like asking a human to stand barefoot on a hot car bonnet, or press their palm against a surface that is too hot to hold.
Human skin begins to feel pain at much lower temperatures than many people realise, and once surface temperatures climb into the 50°C range, the risk of tissue damage increases quickly. For dogs, this matters because their paw pads are in direct contact with the ground. They may keep walking because they are excited, distracted or trying to stay with you, but that does not mean the surface is safe.
Hot pavements can cause pain, soreness and burns to paw pads, especially on sunny days when the surface has been heating for hours.
A simple check is to place the back of your hand on the pavement for 5–7 seconds. If you cannot comfortably keep it there, it is too hot for your dog’s paws.
The air may feel manageable. The ground may not be.

25/05/2026

You guys would never put your dogs at risk. But please educate others to keep their dogs cool during the hot weather.

☀️ YOUR DOG DOES NOT NEED A WALK IN THIS HEAT. ☀️

They need to stay alive.

We are seeing far too many dogs being dragged around parks, pavements and fields in temperatures that can KILL them.

Let’s be blunt.

By the time your dog is collapsing, vomiting, unable to stand, drooling excessively or struggling to breathe… the damage is already happening.

Heatstroke is not “a bit overheated.”
Dogs DIE from this - Dogs have died in LEAMINGTON from heatstroke!

And even the ones that survive can suffer organ damage for the rest of their lives.

Your dog panting heavily is not funny.
It is not them “loving the sunshine.”
It is their body desperately trying not to overheat.

If you are sweating in shorts and a T-shirt, why are you forcing an animal wearing a fur coat to walk on boiling pavements?

NO dog has ever died from missing one walk.
Dogs HAVE died because owners ignored the heat.

So please stop:

❌ Marching dogs around retail parks
❌ Throwing balls until dogs collapse
❌ Taking dogs on walks in midday sun
❌ Walking dogs on scorching pavements
❌ Assuming water alone prevents heatstroke
❌ Leaving dogs in cars — even for 2 minutes.

If it is hot enough that YOU are uncomfortable — it is too hot for dogs to exercise safely.

Walk them at sunrise.
Walk them late evening.
Or don’t walk them at all for one day and use enrichment toys and ideas off the internet.

Because we can promise you this:
The guilt of skipping a walk lasts minutes.
The guilt of carrying your dog into an emergency vets surgery lasts forever. 🐾

(*And before the Tesla owners start writing essays in the comments 😅 yes… we know your dogs are sat in ‘Pet Mode’ with air con, mood lighting and probably watching Netflix. We’re not talking about you.🙄)