Across the United States the high temperatures of summer have forced many people and animals to find creative ways to stay cool from the oppressive heat. Thanks to a local café owner in Virginia, keeping cool is now easier for dogs!
Megan got creative. She bought out the town’s supply of kiddie pools. As Megan explains, she did this to keep all dogs hydrated and cooled:
“I saw a story about a couple of dogs who died of heat stroke because they were chained up in their owner’s backyard. It was during that hot spell in Virginia when the heat index got up to about 110 [degrees] so I thought, ‘What can I do?’ A friend of mine has a kiddie pool for her dog and I thought, ‘There you go,’”
Megan purchased 11 kiddie pools from the local Dollar Store and put them in front of her restaurant with a sign that read, “If Your Dog Has To Be Outside…Please Take a Pool To Help Keep Them Cool. If the kiddie pools are gone, I’ll replace them as soon as I can. Thanks, Megan.”
Pools Placed Outside Megan’s Cafe with a Sign that asks People to Please Take A Pool to Keep Your Canine Cool! Photo credit: Brittany Magill via Reddit
Since she first placed the pools outside her cafe a few weeks ago, 30 pools have been used. Megan is now relying on her family and friends to bring her more kiddie pools when they come to visit her in her small town. They are also helping her to search for more pools in other towns near Urbana, Virginia.
Megan Brockman hopes the attention that her act of kindness has received will inspire others to keep paying it forward. A kiddie pool is a very inexpensive, easy way to keep your dog cool and hydrated in the summer heat. For those that can’t afford one, or don’t understand how dangerous the heat can be for dogs, Megan hopes that others will see her sign and stack of pools and be inspired to do the same.
“If we can spread awareness and have people care more about all the living creatures then that would be amazing,” she said. “People aren’t the only creatures on the planet. Dogs can’t help themselves. People have to do it.”
To start a similar doggie pool giveaway in your own town, visit your local garden supply, ACE Hardware Store, or Dollar Tree store for the inexpensive pools. Then reach out to your friends and neighbors for donations, and be a part of the movement to save dogs’ lives! Together we can make a difference in the lives of so many!
Conscious Companion® 