This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.

__________

Dogs wearing shoes: hot days, hot dogs

A prolonged heatwave has swept across Europe and Switzerland has experienced record temperatures with scant rain. 

According to the public broadcaster SRF, the police in Zurich have launched the "Hot Dog campaign" and are educating dog owners on how they can protect their four-legged friends in the hot weather, given that the overheated pavements can be painful on their feet.

Thus, police in Zurich are encouraging dog owners to buy shoes for their pets so as to protect dogs’ paws. To shield police dogs from baking ground, Zurich police have already put special protective booties for their canines.

(Photo: Zurich police)

Dogs are more vulnerable to high temperatures since they can only cool their bodies by breathing through the mouth. Hence, Zurich police has advised pet owners that large dogs should wear shoes and smaller ones should be carried. Experts urge owners to check if the ground is too hot by employing a “5 seconds method,” that is, measuring the temperature with the back of a hand and holding it there for 5 seconds. Generally, if the air temperature reaches 30°C, the ground may be at 50°C.

Zurich’s canine unit has more suggestions. First, make sure dogs drink sufficient water, and letting them play in rivers or lakes can cool them down. Much more importantly, they advise owners against leaving dogs in a hot vehicle.

__________

And that’s People’s Daily Tonight, thanks for joining us.

(Produced by Chi Jingyi and Qiao Wai)