By Hedda Båverud Olsson

Parts of England will be hotter than Barcelona this week, as the country faces the fifth major heatwave of the summer.

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Most of the country has been declared in drought, hosepipe bans are in place in the capital and across parts of the country, and Amber heat-health alerts are in place.

These health alerts are crucial for helping decide how to act safely during periods of extreme heat, but as someone who’s spent their career in preventative care for animals, I can’t help but think now is the time to extend the guidance to our pets, especially when Met Office scientists are now suggesting that this kind of extreme weather is the new normal.

The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) system of coloured heat-health alerts is a nationally recognised framework for understanding the danger posed by high temperatures, and the kind of actions one can take safely for their own health and welfare. It’s a clear system that can be easily communicated through official channels, the news and personal communications.

We already know how vulnerable pets can be to extreme temperatures and tragically, injury or even death is not uncommon when owners don’t carry out necessary preventative action. This raises the serious........

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