Best LGBTQ Pride Pet Safety Tips, for PRIDE Celebrations!
- Traci Wilkerson Steckel
- Jun 18, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 9, 2024
June is National PRIDE Month, and PRIDE celebrations are kicking off worldwide. As we start celebrating PRIDE in San Diego, it will be another record-breaking year for people visiting our town, attendees, and walking in the parade, all supporting our LGBTQIA + community!
"The Paws Spot" has included a few things you'll need to prepare for these celebrations, including loud noises, large crowds, and high temps.
According to San Diego PRIDE, "San Diego’s Pride Parade is the largest single-day civic event in the region and is among the largest Prides in the United States, attracting over 300,000 cheering supporters of the LGBTQ community." There will be hundreds of organizations walking in the parade, including many pet rescue organizations and just people in general who want to walk with their dogs.
The parade is kicked off with Dikes on Bikes on some spectacular bikes, but they are very loud! Please make sure your pets are on leashes close to you and not on retractable leashes. Having a leash with minimal slack keeps your pets close by if they try to run in fear of the loud bikes and get lost in the crowds of people, which is also unnerving for many dogs. Please do not use retractable leashes as they can easily get caught around people's legs, cause serious injury from burns, and tripping people to the ground.
Make sure to observe the safety of your pets and parade-goers at all times.
It is summertime, and many cities, including San Diego, are experiencing higher temperatures. Even when the air doesn't feel hot, please remember that air temperature differs from ground temperature.
For example, with an air temp of 77 degrees, the asphalt in the sun can be expected to reach 125 degrees or higher!
A hot ground will burn your pets' paws (literally burning the skin of the pads off), causing extreme pain and possible infection.
A good rule of thumb is to put the back of your hand on the ground for 5 seconds. If you cannot keep it down comfortably, ensure your dog's paws don't stay on the ground.
People walking dogs should make sure they wear boots. You can always have your dog wear these around the house to get used to wearing them at events. Put your dogs in wagons, strollers, and slings to keep them up and off the ground. Be sure you have a wagon to try and attach an umbrella for shade, and of course, bring much water for your pet to drink during the event. Another great tip is to put ice packs or a cooling blanket on the "floor" of the wagon or stroller, which will help keep your pets cool. Also, strollers with the top secured could keep some heat inside despite the ventilated mesh. Bring a battery-operated mini-fan and place it in a safe area to keep your pet's air ventilated.
Traci's Paws' previous Spokesdog, Emee the Chi, loved her stroller!
With hundreds of organizations walking, it can last for hours, which is fun for us but not always fun for pets. Please be a responsible pet parent and plan to leave early to ensure your pet is safe and happy. When they are ready, you must go.
For those of you for the long haul, always remember to check the ground where you've moved to and use the "hand check" for your pet's paws.
If you go to a restaurant or bar, choose one with a pet-friendly patio and ensure your pet cannot access human food, alcohol, or drugs. These can be very toxic for your pets and may even cause death.
It will be such a fantastic pet-friendly weekend celebrating PRIDE in San Diego and many other cities, but please be prepared to ensure you follow the best LGBTQ Pride pet safety tips to ensure your pet is the safest and happiest throughout!
Happy PRIDE from Traci's Paws!
Happy Pride from our founder Traci Wilkerson Steckel, and the previous Traci's Paws Spokesdogs Emee the Chi and Lexi the Dachs!!
Click on the San Diego Pride logo to see this year's events!
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