Pet News: Skip the Walk in 37C Heat, August 2026

Two stories this fortnight, and both are about the gap between what people think is good for a pet and what actually is. The heat made the first one urgent, and Battersea spent the week arguing about the second.

Amber heat warning to 13 August, and the advice is to skip the walk

The Met Office issued an amber extreme heat warning with temperatures peaking around 37C, and the UK Health Security Agency and Met Office ran an amber heat-health alert covering five regions of England, including London, from 9am on Tuesday 12 August to 6pm on Wednesday 13 August. On 12 August, Woodgreen Pets Charity told dog owners to keep dogs at home rather than walk them, with dog behaviour and training specialist Sue Ketland putting it plainly: “Your dog does not need a walk every day. When temperatures soar, the safest walk is no walk at all.”

That is worth taking at face value, because the instinct to keep the routine going is what causes the harm. Heatstroke in dogs is a fast, often fatal emergency, and the warning signs to act on are heavy panting, drooling, bright red gums, vomiting and unsteadiness. Puppies, older dogs, overweight dogs and flat-faced breeds are at the greatest risk. Woodgreen’s alternative to a walk is indoor enrichment: frozen toys, puzzle feeders, a short training session, or a supervised paddling pool. Never leave a dog in a parked car in any warm weather, not even briefly with the windows down.

If you use a dog walker, this is a fair thing to raise now rather than in the middle of the next hot spell. A good walker will already be moving to early mornings, shortening routes, testing pavement temperature with the back of a hand and cancelling outright when it is dangerous, and a walker who insists on the usual midday slot in 35C heat is telling you something. Our questions to ask a dog walker covers how to have that conversation, and how often should I walk my dog explains why a missed day genuinely does not matter. The charity’s advice is at VetClick and the weather warning at the Met Office.

Battersea goes after the demand for flat faces and folded ears

On 7 August, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home launched a campaign with a group of TV and social media names, including Tasha Ghouri, Vicky Pattison, Faye Winter, Yasmin Pettet, Max Balegde and Pandora Christie, built around a limited-edition clothing collection with slogans such as “Cute but struggling”. The target is the demand for cats and dogs bred for extreme physical features: flat faces, folded ears and heavy skin folds. Battersea’s own research found that Gen Z and Millennial owners are noticeably more likely to choose animals with those characteristics. The range is on sale online until 15 September, with a public pop-up on Wednesday 19 August, and proceeds go to the charity.

The point underneath the marketing is a practical one for anyone choosing a pet or booking care for one. Flat-faced dogs and cats are not just prone to breathing problems, they are the animals that struggle most in exactly the conditions the first story describes, and they need more careful handling at the groomer’s, in kennels and on a walk. If you already have one, say so explicitly when you book: a groomer needs to know before a dog is on the table, not during. Our guides to questions to ask a dog groomer and what to look for in a doggy daycare cover what a good provider should be asking you in return, and how to find a good vet matters more than average with these breeds. The campaign is covered at PR Newswire.