If you’re wondering who in the world started National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day (and decided to stick with that incredibly looooong title), then we know exactly how you feel. We’ve searched high and low, but weirdly enough, no one really knows the when and how the day became a yearly tradition. It doesn’t really matter, though, because who wouldn’t want a free pass to step on a puddle and splash their friends, right? Well, unless they’re on their way to work or you know, a date or something, then you may want to find another victim—or else you may lose a friend!
Do you know who else would make a good splashee? Your pet! Well, mostly dogs, but you get the idea. Our canine friends—and a few of our feline ones—love splashing! However, for your pet’s safety, don’t splash them with water from puddles.
Puddles Are a No-No for Pets!
While there’s nothing wrong with letting your pet run around in the rain, the puddles they leave behind are sometimes very dangerous. Since puddles are pools of stagnant water, they can harbor all kinds of disease-causing pathogens or become contaminated with harmful chemicals. Below are a few reasons why puddles are a huge no-no for pets:
Puddles can become contaminated with antifreeze
Puddles found near parking lots, streets, or driveways are usually contaminated with antifreeze. It contains a chemical known as ethylene glycol, which is extremely toxic to pets and even in small amounts, can do a lot of damage. When ingested, it’s known to cause vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite, seizures, and irreversible kidney failure in pets. The worst thing is, even with aggressive treatment, animals poisoned with antifreeze generally don’t survive.
Puddles Are A Common Breeding Ground for Giardia
Commonly spread through infected feces, Giardia is an intestinal parasite that causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, and dehydration. When it rains, the parasite can spread to other locations and gather in puddles. Your pet can pick it up if they drink in contaminated puddles.
Your Pet May Contract Leptospirosis
Normally transmitted through the urine of infected rats, Leptospirosis is notorious for being present in stagnant sources of water, like puddles. Though not all pets will exhibit symptoms when infected, some do experience lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. If left untreated, the infection can progress to kidney failure, as well as lung and liver damage. To make sure your pet doesn’t get Leptospirosis, you can talk to your veterinarian about getting them vaccinated.
Pet-Safe Ways to Splash Your Furry Friend
Now that you know about the dangers that could be lurking in outdoor puddles, you can celebrate the splash-filled holiday with your pet in a safer way. In case you’re running low on ideas, here are a few good ones!
Turn On the Sprinklers!
If you own a dog, then chances are, they absolutely love running around the yard with the sprinklers on! With their lack of self-preservation, our canine friends usually end up doing pretty goofy things when water starts spraying everywhere; some of them even try to bite it! So better get your phone ready for this one. You won’t want to miss capturing video-worthy moments on camera.
Go to a Pet-Friendly Water Park
Another great way to celebrate with your pet is to splash around in a pet-friendly water park! If your pet loves swimming and playing fetch in the water, then they’ll definitely thank you for it with lots of hugs and kisses afterward. However, for your pet’s safety, make sure that they wear a float vest in case you lose sight of them in the midst of the crowd. If you don’t have the time to travel to a water park, don’t worry! You can always use an inflatable kiddie pool. It’ll be just as fun for your furry friend!
Take a Trip to the Beach
Why not take a break today and take your furry friend to splash around on the beach? If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you can even explore one you’ve never been to before! It’ll be a fun bonding moment for you and your pet. In addition, most harmful microorganisms can’t survive in saltwater beaches, so you can rest assured that you and your pet won’t go home sick.
How do you plan to celebrate the holiday? Let us know down below!
