Summer in Qatar is not only scorching hot, but long and humid. There are many stray animals such as dogs and cats that are under the sun without water, food, shelter, trying to survive Qatar’s hot summer.
Provide a bowl of water
The high temperatures will leave most stray animals severely dehydrated. Whether outside your home, workplace or in your neighbourhood where stray cats or dogs frequent the area, leave a bowl of drinking water for them to drink from. If you frequent the area, continuously fill the bowl with water when it’s empty, or change the bowl if the water is unclean. It is best to use terracotta bowls for drinking water as they remain cooler than others, and you could also add a cold stone in it to keep it cooler for longer. Make sure you regularly clean and change the water to avoid waterborne infections.
Provide food
Feed stray animals with small snacks and food, preferably water-rich food such as canned tuna or other canned animal food that is wet, or dry dog or cat food placed in water to increase their water intake. Make sure that the food you provide is safe for consumption for both cats and dogs. You can leave a bowl of food in an area where stray animals frequent. You can always come back and provide more food in the bowl.
Offer shelter or a safe environment
If it is within your capacity and you are well equipped with the resources to care for an animal, the best way to support a stray is to adopt them. If you do not wish to welcome them inside your home, offer them shelter away from the sun whether in your front yard, backyard, garage or even balcony, or any other safe environment.
Providing shelter or a safe environment for a stray animal/animals is also a way to protect them from animal abuse. Unfortunately, animal abuse is rampant within the streets and is heavily overlooked. If you come across a stray animal being targeted, make an effort to stop the attack and get the animal to safety.
You can also make a makeshift shelter for the stray animal wherever they are. Use a grass mat as the lining and floor of the shed, and use materials like cardboard and cloth for the walls of the shelter. Ensure that your shelter is placed in a cool spot and is spacious so that it doesn’t trap heat. You can also add damp towels and sheets to cool them down during the afternoon hours. The makeshift shelter would be a good place to set water and food bowls for the stray animal/animals. This is especially important for stray animals with little ones.
Save a life!
Animals experience heatstrokes just as humans do. Signs of a heatstroke in animals include panting, drooling, lethargy, elevated pulse and more. If you see a stray animal suffering from a heatstroke – and if you have the capacity to – consider taking the animal/animals to a vet. You can always return them to the area where they were found, once the animal/animals has recovered; but, leave water and food for the animal/animals.
Avoid taking stray animals to animal shelters. They are already overwhelmed with animals to care for. The best thing you can do is provide care for the stray animal yourself.
Author: Ola Diab
Copyright © Marhaba Information Guide. Reproduction of material from Marhaba Information Guide’s book or website without written permission is strictly prohibited. Using Marhaba Information Guide’s material without authorisation constitutes plagiarism as well as copyright infringement.