Since life-threatening temperatures are being reported across the South, animals can quickly succumb to heatstroke if left outdoors or in a parked car. Already this year, 47 dogs have reportedly died from heat-related causes. (The actual figure is likely far higher, as most deaths go unreported.)

PETA urges people to be on the lookout for animals who are in need of assistance, including those who may be experiencing heatstroke symptoms, and advises everyone to do the following:

• Put palm to pavement: Touch the pavement before walks to ensure that it won’t burn dogs’ foot pads. In hot weather, walk only in the shade or on earth or grass.
• Keep dogs inside:Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress and physical injuries—including brain damage—and can result in death. Be alert to a long, curled-up tongue and heavy panting, as dogs can’t sweat as humans can and heat builds up inside their bodies.
• Avoid leaving animals in parked cars:Never leave a dog inside a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods and even if the windows are slightly open. On a mild 70-degree day, the temperature inside a car can climb rapidly, reaching a dangerous 99 degrees. On a 90-degree day, interior car temperatures can reach 109 degrees in just 10 minutes. Dogs trapped inside a car can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if the car isn’t parked in direct sunlight.
• Keep water outdoors:Place pots filled with clean water outside your home or at places where there are homeless or working animals.
• Provide birds with water:Place bowls on windowsills, balconies, and terraces and in gardens. Change the water regularly.
• Stay alert and save a life:Keep an eye on all animals you see outdoors. Make sure they have adequate water and shelter. If you find an animal in distress, call authorities right away and give the animal water for immediate relief. Do not leave the animal’s side before help arrives.

Anyone who leaves animals outside to suffer in severe weather may be prosecuted for cruelty.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and offers a free Vegan Starter Kit on its website. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.