Never leave your pets in a parked car.
On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85 degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within ten minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees.
Shade and water are a must.
Anytime your pet is outside, make sure he or she has protection from heat and sun (a doghouse does not provide relief from heat) and plenty of fresh, cool water. Heat stroke can be fatal for pets as well as people.
Limit exercise on hot days.
Take care when exercising your pet. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, who are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet's paws.
Recognize the signs of heatstroke.
In case of an emergency, it's important to be able to identify the symptoms of heat stress caused by exposure to extreme temperatures. When in doubt, contact your veterinarian immediately. Some signs of heatstroke are: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, restlessness, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, and unconsciousness. If the animal shows symptoms of heatstroke, take steps immediately to gradually lower her body temperature and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Follow these tips, and it could save her life: Move the animal into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to her head, neck and chest or run cool (not cold) water over her. Let her drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take her directly to a veterinarian.
Original Article

Gracie's Tale (can be seen in Happy Tails also)

We did not have any adoption plans when we stepped into Petsmart on January 1, 2011. My daughter ran to the cats section and the only cat I could see was this gorgeous longhair grey queen, who was looking at me with the indifferent look of her walnut-shaped yellow-green eyes and apparently was not sure how she ended up there. On January 7, she found her new home with us. It took Gracie a couple of months to adjust and she is still scared of loud noises, dropped objects, phone rings and completely disappears with the first roars of thunder. However she discovered her favorite locations - her condo, window sills, large pillows and of course the safety burrow under a blanket or a hideout in the back of my closet. Her favorite toys are small stuffed birds with feathery tails, fish on a rod but most of all - my daughter's hair rubber bands. She grabs them, jumps on them, chews and shuffles them around the house. Her favorite drink is mint tea, always followed by a long play with the tea bag until the loose tea is spread all over the kitchen. Unlike your regular cat, Gracie is drawn to the running water. As she poked her nose into our bath tubs every time we filled them in, one day we just put her in the warm water! And our scaredy cat was not scared at all! She loved her bath and loved us even more. She is very clean and her fur is shiny and silky now. It has been six months of our life together. Gracie feels at home and got used to regular grooming. We became friends and when she jumps on my lap every time I get on the sofa to read a book or watch TV, I cannot even imagine how our home was once without this cute swaddle of grey fur, And ah those purrs! It is the best thank you a human ear can hear!

Helen and Sasha Paradise