This Small Gesture Can Save the Lives of Maine Pets and Animals

Maine Heat Wave

Since this past weekend, Mainers have buckled in and been prepared for scorching heat and temperatures that will be accompanied by some thick, pea soup-like humidity. According to CBS 13 WGME, temperatures will reach the 90s multiple times this week, both inland and on the coast as well.

Obviously, Mainers will feel the effects, especially if their career has them working outside doing heavy lifting and the like (construction, painting, etc), but non-human Mainers will feel the effects, too -- our pets and the wildlife in Maine in general.

A Post in a Berwick, Maine Facebook Group explains how to help

It goes without saying that Mainers love Mainers and, maybe even more obviously, Mainers love animals. And a recent post by Mishka Sturgis in the Berwick, Maine unofficial page Facebook Group illustrates just how deep that love for both pets and wildlife in Maine goes, all through a simple gesture.

With the storms that happened across the state yesterday not only helping with the drought happening throughout the central and southern parts of the state, but also producing plenty of water from the torrential rain, Mishka suggested putting some kind of bowl outdoors to catch the rainwater (or even provide your own) to help animals passing by stay hydrated in the brutal heat.

Going even deeper with her simple gesture suggestion, Mishka advised putting rocks or branches in as well that can serve as a way for smaller animals to avoid drowning should they fall in while taking a drink.

Some Mainers already had water bowls out over the weekend

I'm not used to having a full-out neighborhood to walk my dog around, but after recently moving, I took my pup Remy for a walk to explore the new area on Sunday. It just so happened that by the time I had a chance to take him on a walk, it was during the most brutally hot part of the day.

While walking, I could tell Rem was heating up a bit (he was still okay, but definitely hotter than he is when sitting curled up on my couch watching TV under a ceiling fan or in the AC). Thankfully, as soon as I could tell he started getting really hot (AKA his tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth), we walked by a house that had a massive bowl of water right at the edge of its driveway.

I remember thinking how super amazing it was that a neighbor would do that while he was taking a drink. And now, it all makes sense between seeing the heat wave and humidity that we're in for this week and seeing Mishka's post in that Facebook group. Mainers are just next-level humans.