SHOULD I LEAVE MY HEATING ON FOR MY DOG WHILE I’M OUT THE HOUSE?
Source: The Mirror (Extract)
Posted: February 18, 2022
Dog owners have been warned against leaving their central heating on for their pets while they’re at work.
As Storm Eunice brings strong winds and heavy rain to the UK, dog lovers have been questioning whether a warm home would help sooth their pets.
According to E.ON Energy UK, nearly three quarters of British pet owners say they leave their heating on just for their pets when they leave the home.
They found 27 per cent of owners keep the temperature at 20C, which is the same as they’d turn it to when trying to warm up themselves.
Animal expert Jennifer Dean said: “By and large, our cats and dogs are designed for the outdoors and unless they’re particularly vulnerable in terms of their health, or they’re young puppies, you don’t need to leave the central heating on for them when you’re out of the house, even if the mercury plummets outside.
“The internal body temperature for cats and dogs is around 3C to 4C higher than for humans, meaning they can be happy and comfortable in much lower temperatures than we can tolerate.
“So provided you don’t leave them more than a few hours, your home will retain enough heat to keep them happy while you’re away. Leave plenty of blankets and comfy beds for them to snuggle into while you’re away.”
