It’s been a hot summer and the urge to cool off has been great, especially with pets, we love to let them cool down by going swimming. But, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Department of Public Health are warning pet owners to keep dogs away from ponds, lakes, and rivers because it can be harmful, and potentially fatal to dogs.

To be specific, pet owners are being warned of blue-green algae blooms, as reports of multiple dogs dying nationwide after swimming in ponds, lakes, or rivers containing the toxic algae.

The original warning came out in June, but many Illinois residents weren’t aware, so now Illinois Department of Public Health has released another statement urging residents to report harmful algae sightings and keep pets away.

Devastating reports of dogs dying just hours after swimming in water containing the toxic algae have surfaced in several states. The warning is serious, especially for dog owners, keep your pets out of the water in order to absolutely insure their safety!

8-13-19