You’re overcome by the heat. You’re miserable in your skin. You take multiple baths and leap into cold pools, but you dry out immediately. It burns your feet to walk on the asphalt. You want to just lie like a lox somewhere, but it’s too hot.
If you feel like this, you can imagine how your human is feeling.
Luckily for all of you, Long Beach is again providing cooling centers in libraries and community centers located in parks to escape to when your air conditioning breaks—if you have any—or if you’re dogged by whopping SCE summer bills. Additionally this year, Long Beach has joined surrounding sweltering communities to provide four air-conditioned cooling centers for your cats and dogs. The centers will be available during operating hours, and there will be water for the pets and a few kennels for them to relax in.
“City staff anticipated that the needs of residents’ pets would be of concern,” said Gladys Kaiser, manager of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine’s Community Recreation Services Bureau. “We are happy to assist with providing appropriate space and resources needed to make sure residents who have animals have access to the designated pet-friendly centers.”
Keiser said that the four locations that welcome pets were geographically dispersed around town in order to serve as many Long Beach residents as possible. The locations housing the pet cooling centers are El Dorado Park West, 2800 Studebaker Rd., 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Silverado Park, 1545 W. 31st St. 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Ramona Park, 3301 E. 65th St., 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; and Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. The community centers are regularly open Monday through Friday; Silverado, Ramona and King currently have extended hours for activities.
Each center is designed differently, but there are 10 food-and-water bowls and five crates at each site. Visitors must bring food for their pets; the staff will provide water and will clean the bowls. Guests are encouraged to bring their own carriers in case the five provided ones are in use—the pets will also feel more comfortable in their own (as long as they aren’t thinking “Vet! Vet! Vet!”). Certified helper dogs may remain with their humans as long as the animals are leashed.
Humans must remain in the cooling room with their pets but may engage in any ongoing activities. Of course, if the pet needs to go outdoors for a bathroom break, the human is responsible. If the human needs a break—well, make it quick.
On Friday, El Dorado Senior Center volunteer Jean Smith’s three dogs, Josie, Mei Mei and Truman, were cooling their heels and forepaws at the park’s cooling center. Parks and Rec employee Sonia Hodjat, who was assisting Smith with the crates, said that the mobility of the cooling center furnishings allowed some flexibility with location within the centers.
“We’re not married to this space—if there are activities going on in other rooms, we can have a setup in them so that people can participate. A lot of the activities are self-guided—there are books to read and cards and board games to play while they’re cooling down with their dogs.”
The crates and bowls will remain in the centers indefinitely in anticipation of hot weather. Smith was roundly pleased with the entire idea.
“This is a great idea, because pets get hot, too!” she said.
Even though this is a pet column, it would be remiss not to throw people a bone and a bottle of water in this horrible heat. Parks and Rec has other people-only cooling centers in our parks. Check this link for locations.
“You know it’s hot when the dog starts to melt.”
~ Anonymous