When Colorado veterinarian Colleen Duncan stepped outside recently, the air smelled like a bonfire. Smoke from Wyoming wildfires had drifted south, leaving pets with crusty eyes and their owners feeling uneasy. It was just one example of how climate change affects our animal companions.
From air pollution to heat waves to expanding disease ranges, climate change poses multiple threats to pet health. Recognizing this mounting concern, Duncan teamed up with former vet school classmate Kristenn Magnusson to launch the Veterinary Sustainability Alliance in 2022. As part of the nonprofit’s work to help protect animals in a warming world, they’ve identified climate risks affecting pets of all kinds – and crucially, the steps owners can take to protect them.
Read on for the top climate risks for pets and what you can do about them.
Top climate risks for pets
While some animals face greater risks than others, every pet owner should understand these five key impacts – and the steps you can take to protect your companions.
Extreme heat: While flat-faced dogs and overweight animals face the highest risk during heat waves, any pet can suffer from heat stress – just like humans. Even a short walk on hot pavement can burn paw pads, and cars quickly become lethal in warm weather.
What you can do: A good rule of thumb is to know that if you feel hot, your pet probably feels hotter. If you’ve already taken steps to cool yourself, like dressing lightly, putting on a hat, or drinking cool water, then that means your pet needs intervention to help cool their body temperature, too. If your pet seems warm, do what you’d do for a human: Get them to a cooler place with water to drink and consider using cold compresses. Also: Avoid walks if the pavement feels hot to your hand, and don’t leave your pet unattended in your car.
Discuss with your vet the signs of overheating specific to your pet, which may include panting, restlessness, seeking shade or water, and sometimes drooling and red gums and tongue (instead of pink).
That said, never wait for signs of heat stress to make sure your pet is at a safe temperature. If your pet does overheat, it’s a medical emergency requiring immediate veterinary care.
Extreme weather events: Hurricanes, floods, and wildfires are a threat to physical and mental health. These disasters can trap animals, cause severe injuries, and cut off escape routes. Disasters can also separate pets from their families, creating profound trauma for both pets and their humans. Since Hurricane Katrina, when many people refused to evacuate because they couldn’t find shelters that accepted pets, federal law requires emergency shelters to accommodate animals – but preparation is crucial.
What you can do: Create an emergency plan that includes your pets. Keep supplies ready (food, medications, and documents), ensure ID tags are current, know which shelters accept pets, and have carriers easily accessible. For farm animals, consider transportation needs like trailers.
Air pollution: Poor air quality harms all pets, with cats particularly vulnerable to asthma. Beyond wildfire smoke, climate change intensifies other air pollutants: Longer, warmer seasons increase pollen levels, while stagnant air traps particulate matter that can enter the bloodstream.
“Air pollution is no longer just a lung disease,” Duncan notes. “It actually causes cardiovascular disease and affects everything in the body.”
What you can do: Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) before outdoor activities. If it’s unsafe for you, it’s unsafe for your pets. During poor air quality days, keep pets indoors and limit exercise. Watch for symptoms like coughing or eye irritation. Inside, consider indoor air purifiers to benefit human and pet respiratory health alike.
Water contamination: Harmful algal blooms are becoming more frequent and can be deadly for pets. These microscopic organisms can kill an otherwise healthy dog within hours of exposure, often before owners realize there’s a problem. The blooms typically appear as green, blue-green, or reddish scums on water surfaces, though they can also be present in clear-looking water. Unfortunately, many areas lack resources to test every body of water, and blooms might not be visible from where you’re standing.
What you can do: Research water quality before letting pets swim, especially during warm spells where blooms have been reported in larger regional waterways. Contact your local public health agency about water monitoring programs and active advisories. Keep pets away from standing water, especially if it looks green or has a surface film.
Disease spread: Climate change isn’t just pushing tick and mosquito populations northward – it’s causing population explosions in existing ranges and extending these pests’ active seasons. Ticks that once died off in winter now survive year-round in many regions, while mosquitoes breed in newly formed wet areas after extreme weather events. More ticks mean more Lyme disease, while increased mosquito activity spreads heartworm disease across North America. Higher temperatures also extend the season for these disease carriers.
What you can do: Maintain year-round prevention for parasites and vector-borne diseases. Check pets for ticks after outdoor activities, even in seasons or regions where you haven’t seen them before. Talk with your vet about tailoring protection to your region’s specific risks.
When climate threats multiply
Climate risks vary by region – what matters most in coastal Florida differs from mountain Colorado or urban New York. But everywhere you go, impacts exist – and they add up.
“Climate change is death by a thousand blows for animals. They’re not experiencing any of these things in isolation,” Duncan said.
For example, a heat wave often coincides with poor air quality and algal blooms, creating compound risks. More frequent severe storms don’t just threaten physical safety – they can also trigger anxiety and behavioral changes in pets.
The American Animal Hospital Association recommends designating a dedicated indoor safe space with calming aids where pets can retreat during a storm, which may also be useful when multiple environmental threats coincide.
“Climate change is an animal welfare issue,” said Duncan. “Many animals rely on humans to protect them. But all the climate impacts that affect humans also affect our ability to care for them.”
Fortunately, being informed and prepared can make a significant difference in protecting our pets from these growing challenges.
Taking action for healthier pets
Understanding climate risks is the first step toward protecting our animal companions in a warming world. Your veterinarian is your best partner in this effort – make climate preparedness part of your annual visits and discuss your pet’s specific risk factors. If your vet isn’t already talking about climate impacts, your questions can help spark important conversations about the connection between climate change and animal health.
You can also help future generations of pets by reducing the climate impact of pet care itself. For example, you can choose pet food options with smaller carbon footprints, such as cricket-based dog food. As Magnusson notes, “There are a lot of animal lovers out there. By communicating what we know as veterinarians, we can help motivate people who want to do what’s best for animals.”
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