June 8, 2025, 6:06 am | Read time: 3 minutes
When temperatures rise, it’s not just humans who seek refreshment—pets, wildlife, and insects also enjoy garden water sources on hot days. However, drinking and bathing can pose risks. Here’s how to protect animals in the summer to ensure cooling off doesn’t turn into an emergency.
Pools, kiddie pools, or other water features in the garden attract not only humans on warm days. Dogs, cats, insects, and wildlife also use them as a drinking source—especially at night or during extreme heat. However, animals can fall into the water while drinking and, without a way to climb out, may not be able to escape on their own.
“Time and again, cats, hedgehogs, or squirrels drown in pools, kiddie pools, or rain barrels,” reveals Lisa Kainz from the animal rights organization PETA. The animals slip on the smooth walls and cannot get out on their own. But how can the risk be reduced?
Making Water Features Safe for Animals
If you want to create a water feature for pets or insects in your garden, ensure it is designed safely. It’s important that animals can leave the basin on their own at any time—this helps prevent dangerous situations. For birdbaths or insect waterers, larger stones that protrude from the water can serve as exit aids. Natural materials like wood or moss can also be used by small animals as “rescue ladders” to crawl out. The dish, such as a plant saucer, should be shallow and not too full.
Also of interest: First Aid for Dogs—What to Do in an Emergency
Swimming with your dog in the pool is generally not a problem. Bathing in chlorinated water is allowed as long as the chlorine level is low and the dog does not drink large amounts of the water. Despite all precautions, pool chemicals can irritate mucous membranes and cause health issues if ingested excessively. To be completely safe, opt for dog-friendly alternatives, emphasizes PETA. As a rule, always keep an eye on your pet while swimming—so you can quickly intervene if something happens.
For dogs and cats, non-slip, rough ramps are ideal to help them exit pools or kiddie pools. Important: Never leave dogs unattended in the water or throw them into the pool against their will. A readily accessible exit is a must so the animal can get out on its own at any time. Regular breaks are also advisable to prevent the dog from overexerting itself and potentially panicking.
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How to Help Exhausted Animals Out of the Water
While birds and insects usually manage to get out of the water on their own, small animals like mice or hedgehogs often find it much harder to leave water troughs by themselves. If you find an animal that clearly cannot free itself from the water feature, carefully assist it, ideally with a net or a broom handle it can use to climb out.
If the animal is severely hypothermic or unresponsive, take it to a veterinary clinic immediately. If you discover a dead animal—such as a mouse in a birdbath—you should replace the water to prevent the spread of potential pathogens.
With material from dpa