Extreme heat impacting dogs at Hillsborough animal shelter, officials put out plea for help

Extreme heat impacts dogs at Pet Resource Center

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer explains how people can help the dogs at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center as the dogs struggle with hot temperatures and no air conditioning.

TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center is putting out a plea for people to temporarily take dogs to places with air conditioning, as intense heat is starting to affect the animals at the shelter.

An extreme heat warning is in effect for part of the Bay Area, including Hillsborough County, on Tuesday.

Part of the Tampa Bay area is under an extreme heat warning on Tuesday.

By the numbers:

As of Tuesday morning, the Pet Resource Center has 285 dogs listed on its website for adoption.

Officials say there is shade for the dogs at the shelter, but no A/C.

Pictured: Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center.

What they're saying:

"We're really trying to make sure that we're keeping them as cool and comfortable as we possibly can," said Chelsea Waldeck, the center’s division director, adding some of the animals are really struggling. "We're seeing, you know, dogs with excessive coats, too, that are overheating. We're seeing a lot of panting. We see a lot of lethargy, so not having as much of an appetite, which for some of our dogs that come in very underweight is a real struggle for them. We need them to eat, we need them to stay hydrated in order to help them recover."

She said families can act as foster families for the dogs for a day or two, or even several weeks.

What you can do:

The Pet Resource Center is asking anyone who can take a dog for up to a few days to stop by the shelter at 440 N. Falkenburg Rd. in Tampa.

Officials say the shelter is also accepting frozen cubes or bowls as part of its effort to help keep the dogs cool.