Heat stress is a preventable killer of working dogs including police dogs, guide dogs, and sporting dogs, requiring proactive management in warm conditions.
Heat stress and heatstroke cause significant suffering and can be rapidly fatal. Working dogs may be unable to signal distress to handlers and continue working past safe limits. Responsibility for preventing heat stress falls entirely on human handlers and organisations deploying working dogs. Proactive rest breaks, shade, water access, and monitoring of environmental temperature are non-negotiable welfare requirements for working dogs in any climate.