Sunscreen, shelter can keep furry friends cool under the collar.

Byline: Matt Cooper The Register-Guard

If the thought of sitting in a hot car makes you pant, imagine how it feels while wearing a fur coat.

Sound unbearable? Your pet would agree.

Lane County Animal Regulation Authority is reminding pet owners to take precautions for keeping their companions cool during the hot summer months.

At the top of the list, officials warn against leaving animals in vehicles. During summer, the temperature inside a car can quickly reach 120 degrees, even with the windows rolled down.

That's dangerous for the pet - and illegal for you. People can be fined as much as $800 or even go to jail depending on the severity of the offense, said Mike Wellington, LCARA program manager.

With temperatures rising, the animal authority is entering its busy season.

On hot days, "LCARA employees respond to more calls for welfare checks and reports of animals in vehicles and yards," Wellington said. "We also take in more calls for attacks and bites, lost pets, animals running at large and animals hit by cars. All of these dramatically increase during this time of the year."

To fight pet heat exhaustion, officials recommend the following:

Never leave pets in cars.

Keep the water dish full and provide fresh water daily.

Prevent sunburn by keeping pets out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Rub sunblock on unprotected areas such as the lips and the tips of noses and ears, especially on fair-colored pets.

Provide plenty of shelter.

Animals should not be left outside on hot days, even in the shade. Shade moves throughout the day; pets need a cool shelter or should be kept inside during the hottest hours.

Watch for heatstroke. Symptoms include panting, staring, high fever, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, collapse and disobedience.

If heatstroke is suspected, call a veterinarian immediately and apply water-soaked towels to the hairless areas of the animal's body to lower its temperature.

Don't overexercise your pet. Exercise is important to maintain a healthy weight, but too much may cause overheating. Plan walks early in the morning or late in the evening, at a relaxed pace.

Make sure your pet has a license. If you are traveling and plan to leave your pet with a caretaker, give the caretaker's name and number to the animal authority; the information will be included as a contact in your pet's license information in case your pet is lost.

BY THE NUMBERS In 2005, Lane County Animal Regulation Authority posted the following numbers: 500: Responses to reports of neglect and abuse 700: Pets returned to their owners 1,000: Animals adopted 4,000: Animals impounded 6,000: Field calls For more information: Call 682-2370

CAPTION(S):

Fourteen-year-old Molly Salene of Springfield cools off her dogs Parker and Joey on Thursday at the EWEB fountain in Eugene. A daily dose of fresh water can help prevent heat exhaustion, animal authorities say.