Pet owners have been warned to avoid leaving animals in uninsulated greenhouses during hot weather. The advice comes as a heatwave sweeps the UK next week and data from Conservatory Insulations revealed a third of homeowners use their conservatories for their pets.
While these sunny spaces may be nice for our furry friends, the Met Office and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have warned that they pose significant risks to animal safety during the hot weather. The BVA warning posted on the Met Office site says: “Never leave your pet inside a car or greenhouse, even for a quick trip to the supermarket, as ‘not too much’ can prove fatal.”
Temperatures inside a greenhouse can reach 40°C, which can be hotter than California’s famous Death Valley; However, two-thirds of people between 25 and 44 years old revealed that their pets use the space more than they do. Every summer, veterinarians treat pets for heat-related conditions such as heat stroke, respiratory problems, and burned paw pads.
Dogs are the most affected and even on cloudy days, greenhouse temperatures can rise quickly and become dangerously high.
Matt Forrest, managing director of Conservatory Insulations, said: “Every uninsulated greenhouse is a problem – it’s too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.”
