By Jon Sutz, Founder, HEATKILLS.us™
When I created the HEATKILLS project in 2014, my mission objective was:
- To make it as easy and efficient as possible for people around the world to gain an evidence-based understanding of the heatstroke danger to dogs
- To create an integrated suite of knowledge tools that anyone can use, and which are simple enough for a child to understand
Here are a few key resources that help to advance this objective. (Please note that these resources may only be used for non-commercial purposes, in their entirety, without alteration of any kind. Learn more here.)
(1) The HEATKILLS.us™ "Heatstroke Education Slide Show"
(2) The key HEATKILLS.us™ infographic (JPG)
(3) The large HEATKILLS.us™ flyer (JPG & PDF, with tear-off tabs)
(4) The HEATKILLS.us™ “CLAW” Process™ flyer, for giving first aid to a dog that may be suffering heatstroke
(5) Additional resources from animal health experts
(1) The HEATKILLS.us™ "Heatstroke Education Slide Show"
This slide show was designed from the ground up, over a number of years, to provide a plain-language "crash course" on the basics of heatstroke and dog physiology, and why they can begin to suffer organ and brain damage within 10 minutes of being left in a hot car.
Earlier versions of this slide show received high praise from several professionals; see below.
HEATKILLS.us HEATSTROKE EDU... by jonsutz
"This slide show is very informative and relevant to the work we do. We often get calls for service which revolve around someone leaving a pet in a vehicle on a hot day. It is important to provide our staff with this information to ensure they are well-informed when responding to these calls. Thank you."
- Capt. Anthony McBee, University of Virginia Police Department, Charlottesville, VA
"This is a great presentation to help law enforcement and other community members understand the severe dangers of a canine overheating in a hot car. I think the presentation is accurate and well developed."
- Dr. Tripp Stewart (over 21 years veterinary experience)
Owner
Greenbrier Emergency Animal Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
(2) The key HEATKILLS.us™ infographic (JPG)
This is the most-used HeatKills graphic resource, and the centerpiece of all of our activism. You can copy-and-paste it into emails, social media posts, documents, and much more -- so long as you only use it in its finished form:
(3) The large HEATKILLS.us™ flyer (JPG & PDF, with tear-off tabs)
This flyer can serve its purpose in several ways:
- As a JPG to share on social media, and in emails
- As a stand-alone item, to post in public places: It can be printed on your home printer (see PDF below), or emailed to your local Staples, Office Depot, or FedExOffice, which can print them out in high resolution, and in bulk (in some cases, they will give you a discount, as this is clearly a not-for-profit venture).
- As a fixture to which you can attach tear-off tabs (provided, below): This is the ultimate application, and you can either produce them on your own, or outsource to Staples etc. The instruction guide (PDF) is below.
Below is the JPG, to show in high-resolution what the flyer consists of.
Below that is the printable PDF, and an Instruction Guide for how to print, cut and affix the tabs.
Here is the PDF of the flyer. On page 2 is a template for the tear-off tabs that can be affixed to the bottom of the flyer.
See the instructions below.
HEATKILLS.us full-page flye... by jonsutz
Here is the Instruction Guide
A simple four-step process.
HEATKILLS.us™ LARGE FLYER Instruction Guide by Jon Sutz 24June2024 by jonsutz on Scribd
(4) The HEATKILLS.us™ “CLAW” Process™ flyer, for giving first aid to a dog that may be suffering heatstroke
During the rise of my predecessor site (HeatKills.org), I spoke to numerous veterinarians and veterinary college professors about the proper means of providing first aid to a conscious dog that may be suffering heatstroke. The impetus for my research was a report I produced about a local SPCA that created and distributed an informational flyer that contained instructions for treating a dog in heatstroke that in reality would make the dog worse, or even kill it.
In reaction, as a multimedia designer, I wanted to create a definitive resource containing scientifically accurate information about how to treat a dog in heatstroke. The result of my research and work was The "CLAW" Process:
And here is the PDF, ready for printing & sharing:
HEATKILLS.us "CLAW&quo... by jonsutz
(5) Additional resources from animal health experts
- How can I prevent heatstroke in my pet? - American Animal Hospital Association
- Pathophysiology of heatstroke in dogs – revisited - National Institutes of Health
- How Hot is Too Hot? Heatstroke in Dogs – American Kennel Club
- A Summer Guide to Heat Stress and Heat Stroke for Dog Owners - VETSS: Veterinary Emergency Treatment Services & Specialty, Charlottesville, VA
- Heat Stroke in Dogs - VCA Animal Hospitals