Milo says play it cool!

He is just a shelter dog... nothing special! He didn’t come with full-bred papers. In fact, his parents are quite a mystery. He may have a little Corgi blood in his veins or maybe a little Jack Russell Terrier or maybe even Bassett Hound.

The one thing I do know is he prances to his own beat. He wags his tail constantly; begs with his big brown eyes; dances on two legs; and guards his toys with a fierce sense of ownership. He barks at the boogie man and his own image in the window. He turns up his nose at snacks beneath his standards and he won’t eat his food unless you hand feed him.

He runs too fast; chases butterflies; and tries to eat frogs. He rides in the car with his head stuck out the window; and he shares my pillow at night. He follows my every step and gets mad when I leave him alone.

Milo was once a shelter dog, but he quickly captured my heart... and just about the heart of everyone else in town. He is now, some six years after his adoption from the Osceola Animal Shelter, a very important member of my family.

And, this week I would like to make an appeal on behalf of my four-legged son. Summer has arrived in full force and Milo would like you humans to play it cool and take special care of all the animals.

Milo would especially like to remind all of you to please not leave your fur babies in a hot car. According to the Humane Society of the United States, pets should never be left in a parked car, not even with the car running and air conditioner on. “On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels,” says Dr. Barry Kellogg, VMD, of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. “On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die.”

"It's important to remember that it's not just the ambient temperature, but also the humidity that can affect your pet," says Dr. Kellogg. "Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels—very quickly."

A few other tips to remember include:

•Limit exercise on hot days to early morning and evening hours.

•Don’t rely on a fan. Dogs sweat primarily through their feet and fans are not always effective.

•Provide ample shade and water. Add ice to the water. And, remember a doghouse does not provide relief from the heat. It makes it worse.

•Cool your pet inside and out. Pupsicles will do the trick along with body wraps soaked in cool water.

•Watch for signs of heatstroke. Signs include heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, vomiting, etc.

•Always prepare for power outages and that includes making sure you have a plan to keep your pet cool.

Basically, Milo would like us all to use a little common sense. If we are hot, so are our pets. There is nothing as precious as unconditioned love offered freely by our pets. They look up to us and depend upon us to take care of them. Don’t let them down.

Indian Social Activist Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” He was right about this. Stay cool!