Let’s face it — Phoenix is hot. And according to recent studies, Phoenix tops the list of America’s hottest cities with temps averaging between 89 and 99 degrees year-round, which is why it’s so important to keep pets safe from the scorching Arizona sun.

Summertime is full of fun, freedom and hot dogs, and we don’t mean the kind you get at the ballpark. Although an exact number is difficult to find it is estimated that thousands of dogs die every year from heat related causes. A little information and common sense can save lives.

I was in the gym sweating up a storm. As the salty droplets fell from the tip of my nose, from my armpits and even from my knees I wondered, “Why do we sweat when we exercise?” Why do we sweat more in the heat of summer or when we have fevers? Why do we sweat more if we become nervous, angry or embarrassed? The quick answer, of course, is that it is the body’s way of cooling itself. I knew that, and you probably do, too. But why and how does the body know it needs to sweat to cool itself down?

With temperatures expected to reach the 100-degree mark soon, the Arizona Animal Welfare League & Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (AAWL & SPCA) is reminding pet owners not to leave animals in their cars and offering other ways to keep them safe.