Portable Cooling Options for Pets at Home

Let’s face it—our pets are cherished members of our family. Keeping them cool and comfortable during the summer heat is extremely important for their health and well being. We understand that the heat impacts them, and can pose some of the same risks as it does for the rest of our family members.

Cooling options will vary depending on the type of climate in which you live–dry or humid–the same way they do for us. Humidity can bring temperatures to a soaring level, yet dry heat can also be tough on pets. It is crucial to monitor your pets to ensure that they don’t develop signs of heatstroke during the hot summers. One easy step to keeping them safe at home is to provide the proper cooling solutions.

While you may feel that a regular fan is enough to keep your pets cool, The Humane Society of the United States warns otherwise. This just emphasizes the need for sufficient cooling solutions to keep your pets safe and comfortable.

Dry Climates

Indoor/Outdoor Evaporative Air Coolers

Evaporative air coolers are almost always the best solution for dry climates, since they add moisture to a very dry environment. One advantage of using evaporative air coolers inside is the constant flow of fresh air, which most pets love and crave. An evaporative air cooler fills that need since it requires a constant flow of fresh air from an adjacent open window in order to provide proper cooling.

The misty spray, however, may not work for all pets and may not please your finicky feline, but then again your pets may love evaporative air coolers, as many do. This option is a fantastic one if your pets are happy with this type of cooling. It is also the most cost-effective option since it uses much less electricity than air conditioners.

A win-win tactic is to test your evaporative air cooler at home to see how accepting your pets will be, but only If you purchase an indoor/outdoor model (as opposed to an indoor only model).

If your pets back away from the indoor/outdoor model inside the home—or seem irritated— you can happily use the unit outside in your backyard and enjoy your cool patio and bbq area. You can keep your pets in the shade with lots of water, and if they don’t become accustomed to the idea of an evaporative cooler even when it is used outside, you can monitor them while they stay in the shade with lots of drinking water. Be sure to move them inside if necessary. In this case, you would also need to place a portable air conditioner inside your home.

Here are a couple of examples of indoor/outdoor coolers:

Honeywell CO60PM 125 Pt. Commercial Indoor/Outdoor Portable Evaporative Air Cooler

 

Honeywell CO48PM 100 Pt. Commercial Indoor/Outdoor Portable Evaporative Air Cooler

Indoor Evaporative Air Coolers

If you choose to purchase an indoor unit only, you won’t have the option to use it outside, but it may be just what you need for you and your pets. I think it is a safe bet to keep the settings comfortable for you and most likely your pets should be content as well. An animal with a heavy, thick coat may need more cooling than you and your family require. PetMD says there are certain breeds of cats and dogs that have a harder time cooling down in the hot weather, so they may require a stronger cooler setting in order to cope. The breeds they listed are the ones that have a flat face such as Pugs, Pekingese, Boston terriers and Persian cats. You can always adjust the setting as needed, depending on how your pets react to the various settings so that you can predict the optimal temperature for them if you have to leave them at home alone for a few hours. Watch the body language of your pets to see which setting is most comfortable.

Here is one example of a popular Indoor Evaporative Air Cooler:

Honeywell CS10XE 21Pt. Indoor Portable Evaporative Air Cooler

 

Humid Climates

Portable Air Conditioners

Portable air conditioners can cool a large room well, or even an entire apartment if it’s small. They are effective at beating the heat in humid climates. Since portable air conditioners don’t require that you or your pets sit in close proximity to it as is required for optimal cooling with evaporative coolers, your pets can choose a comfortable distance from the unit, or choose to sit close. A good idea is to adjust the setting as needed, depending on how your pets react to the various settings so that you can predict the optimal temperature for them if you have to leave them at home alone for a few hours, just as with evaporative coolers. Pay attention to the body language of your pets to see which temperature is most comfortable for them.

Here is a popular portable air conditioner:

Honeywell MM14CCSBB 14000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Control

Whichever portable cooling option you purchase to keep your pets cool, make sure you learn the signs of heat exhaustion in pets and ensure that your pets are always cool, comfortable and happy!