Pet Safety Tips for High Temperatures – City of San Antonio
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Published on July 21, 2026
SAN ANTONIO (July 21, 2026) – Animal Care Services is urging residents to plan now to protect their outdoor pets from hot weather.
Dogs can easily overheat outside. Many residents keep pets outdoors, and some do not think twice before taking pets to the lake or on an errand.
The following are tips to help pets stay cool:
Bring pets indoors on hot days. A crate in the laundry area or bathroom can provide a cool, secure place for a pet.
Fresh water and shelter should always be available. It is illegal not to provide these necessities for your pets.
Providing shade for outdoor pets is the law. Chain tethers of any type are not allowed at any time of the year.
If you see a pet locked in a hot vehicle, act immediately. Jot down the vehicle’s description (including a license plate number) and go into a nearby store to have the owner paged. If you do not get a response, call Animal Care Services or the Police Department immediately. It takes ten minutes for the interior of a car to reach 102 degrees on an average 85-degree day; in thirty minutes, that temperature can reach 120 degrees or more.
Per City ordinance, both Animal Care Officers and the police have the right to break a vehicle’s window if an animal is endangered inside.
It is illegal for dogs to ride unsecured in the back of trucks. These pets face the same heat stroke risk as those locked in vehicles, in addition to the threat of burned paws and accidental falls in transport.
Symptoms of heat stress in pets include excessive thirst, heavy panting, glazed eyes, vomiting, restlessness, lethargy, fever, dizziness, a rapid heartbeat, profuse drooling or salivating and unconsciousness.
If an animal shows signs of heat stress, gradually lower their body temperature, and get them to a veterinarian immediately.
Violations of the City’s law governing animals in the heat or those left in vehicles could face animal cruelty charges if their pet sustains injury or death because of their actions.