Triple-digit heat is nothing new to North Texas.
But 156 degrees is more than enough to get one’s attention.
That was the temperature of the rubberized soft surface along the Katy Trail at noon Friday, according to a photograph tweeted by the Friends of the Katy Trail.
Hours later, the temperature of the hard path read 124 degrees, according to a heat gun operated by NBCDFW.
A surface that hot is enough to cause second-degree burns with a few minutes of sustained exposure, experts say.
In response, there are signs posted along the Katy Trail which read: “Dogs can’t tell you when they’re hot. If it’s too hot for you to walk on concrete barefoot, it’s too hot for your dog.”
Veterinarian Dr. Matthew Murphy appreciates the effort.
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Murphy works at CityVet Uptown, and he told NBCDFW he treats about one dog a week with burns to its paws due to exposure to hot surfaces.
Murphy said he advises clients that they should not walk their dogs on hard surfaces during the heat of the day.
“If they do have to, test it,” Murphy said. “[Use] the back of your hand on the concrete. Make sure it’s not too hot for you. If it’s too hot for your hand to sit there for five seconds, it’s too hot for your dog to walk on it.”
Tressy Kelley, of Dallas, learned that Friday afternoon when her dog, Bear – a two-year-old pit bull – began to pace back and forth on the synthetic surface near the entrance to the children’s playground at Klyde Warren Park.
“We were just over there by the rock, but the ground was too hot,” Kelley said. “He kept moving and was fidgeting. And I wasn’t sure what was going on, and I touched the ground and I was like, ‘Oh wow!’ I don’t even want to stand over there barefoot myself. So we moved him over here where there’s more shade.”
A test of the ground where Bear had been standing registered at 159 degrees.
“Even though he’s an animal, he’s still a part of the family. So I wouldn’t want him to burn his feet,” Kelley said.
