10 ways to help your pets stay safe and cool in the heat
Important information on terms, conditions and sub-limits![dog wearing sunglasses in pool](https://cdn.mozo.com.au/images/atwood/14529/dog.jpg)
This summer has been particularly hot and while humans are quite good at taking steps to keep cool, pets aren’t!
If you’re leaving your pets at home alone for long periods of time during the day, remember that keeping them cool is important. Some animals don’t cope well in warmer temperatures and others are less self-sufficient than you might realise.
So, here are some suggestions on how to help your pets handle the heat:
- Make sure they have enough cool water - access to enough water is vital. Keep it out of the sun and even put ice cubes in to keep it cold for longer.
- If you have a furry friend, make sure they are groomed regularly and appropriately so they’re not carrying any extra layers. Obviously this depends on the breed because some animals don’t benefit from a trim.
- Leave a wet towel or cool mat for them to lie on - especially if your pet doesn’t have access to much shade but likes being outside. A wet towel or cool mat gives them somewhere more comfortable to lie.
- Invest in a cooling collar or vest. These are designed to keep pets cool - especially if they’re often outdoors and don’t get to enjoy the air conditioning.
- If your pet is a water lover, you could even invest in a paddle pool. This will not only keep them cool, but entertained!
- Wet them with cold water - if your furry friend is struggling on a hot day, you can give them a cold bath, a spray with a hose or just wet their feet, ears and head to cool them down.
- Keep them away from windows and direct sunlight - while some animals love lying in the sun, it might not be good for them when temperatures are particularly high. Be sure to have an eye on them so they don’t overheat or get dehydrated.
- Don’t walk them during the hottest time of the day - try to walk your pet in the mornings before it gets hot, or late in the afternoon when it’s cooler.
- Consider buying booties to protect their paws. If your dog seems uncomfortable walking on the hot road or pavement, you can actually buy booties to help.
- Apply pet sunscreen to their most sensitive areas to stop them from getting burnt. Yes, animals can get sunburnt! Be sure to apply on the nose, tips of the ears and belly.
To further protect your pets wellbeing, consider getting pet insurance. You can compare some pet insurance policies below.
Compare pet insurance policies
Important information on terms, conditions and sub-limits.
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Pet Protection Plus
Petsy has zero sublimits and an annual limit up to $25k. Get a pre-existing conditions assessment in your cooling-off period - free of charge for members only. Dedicated all Australian customer service team. Cancel your policy and receive a full refund of your premium in the first 30 days (T&Cs apply).
annual benefit limit
$5,000, $10,000 or $25,000benefit percentage
80% or 90%choice of excess
$0, $150, $200, $300, $500choice of vet
Yesavailable discounts
- 5% discount for second pet covered with Petsy applied for lifetime of the policy
CompareComparePet Protection Plus
Petsy has zero sublimits and an annual limit up to $25k. Get a pre-existing conditions assessment in your cooling-off period - free of charge for members only. Dedicated all Australian customer service team. Cancel your policy and receive a full refund of your premium in the first 30 days (T&Cs apply).
- annual benefit limit
- $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000
- benefit percentage
- 80% or 90%
- choice of excess
- $0, $150, $200, $300, $500
- choice of vet
- Yes
- available discounts
- 5% discount for second pet covered with Petsy applied for lifetime of the policy
- accident only cover
- no
- accident and illness cover
- yes
- routine care
- No
- routine care limit
- N/A
- dog
- yes
- cat
- yes
- ct and mris
- Yes
- cruciate ligament condition limits
- Yes
- hip joint surgery
- Yes
- total hip replacement
- Yes
- tick paralysis
- Yes
- dental cover
- Optional
- emergency boarding
- Yes
- theft or straying
- No
- death from illness
- Yes
- legal liability
- No
- overseas pet travel insurance
- Yes, only while in New Zealand
- essential euthanasia
- Yes
- maximum age in years
- 9
- minimum age in weeks
- 6
- waiting period
- 1 day for Non-specified accidental injury, 14 days for Non-specified illness, and dental illness, 6 months for specified conditions and behavioural problems
- special offers
- Use code "BREAST" and Petsy will donate $50 to National Breast Cancer Foundation
- pre approval process
- Online, phone and written approval. Customer can also request for us to pay the vet directly.
- claims service
- Electronically by your vet, online claims
- other benefits
- -
- other restrictions
- -
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Petsy Pet Protection Plus
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Value Cover
Get great value coverage with Knose Value Cover. Award-winning pet insurance designed with the help of vets. No sub-limits or hidden costs. Customise your plan to help fit your budget. Australian-based customer care.
annual benefit limit
$7,500, $12,5000, or $25,000benefit percentage
70%, 80% or 90%choice of excess
$0, $100, $200 Annual Excesschoice of vet
Yesavailable discounts
- Get 10% off your first-year premium using the promo code "MOZO10"
CompareCompareValue Cover
Get great value coverage with Knose Value Cover. Award-winning pet insurance designed with the help of vets. No sub-limits or hidden costs. Customise your plan to help fit your budget. Australian-based customer care.
- annual benefit limit
- $7,500, $12,5000, or $25,000
- benefit percentage
- 70%, 80% or 90%
- choice of excess
- $0, $100, $200 Annual Excess
- choice of vet
- Yes
- available discounts
- Get 10% off your first-year premium using the promo code "MOZO10"
- accident only cover
- no
- accident and illness cover
- yes
- routine care
- No
- routine care limit
- N/A
- dog
- yes
- cat
- yes
- ct and mris
- Yes
- cruciate ligament condition limits
- Yes
- hip joint surgery
- Yes
- total hip replacement
- Yes
- tick paralysis
- Yes
- dental cover
- Optional
- emergency boarding
- Yes, up to 30 days
- theft or straying
- No
- death from illness
- No
- legal liability
- No
- overseas pet travel insurance
- Yes, only while in New Zealand on a trip of not more than 60 days
- essential euthanasia
- Yes
- maximum age in years
- 8
- minimum age in weeks
- 6
- waiting period
- 1 day for illness, 14 days of illness, and 6 months for specified conditions
- special offers
- Get 10% off your first-year premium using the promo code "MOZO10"
- pre approval process
- -
- claims service
- Online by you or your vet
- other benefits
- Optional excess is charged once per annual policy period. Complimentary access to the Knose Pet Health Hotline.
- other restrictions
- -
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Knose Value Cover
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Major Medical
Get two months free when you sign up with Pet Insurance Australia. Choose between three levels of cover for your pet. Policies cover a range of specified accidental injuries and illnesses. Get refunded for up to 80% of eligible vet bills. 21 day cooling off period.
annual benefit limit
$30,000benefit percentage
80%choice of excess
$0, $100, $200, $500choice of vet
Yesavailable discounts
- 2 months free when you pay by monthly or fortnightly. Offer end on the 30th June 2025.
CompareCompareMajor Medical
Get two months free when you sign up with Pet Insurance Australia. Choose between three levels of cover for your pet. Policies cover a range of specified accidental injuries and illnesses. Get refunded for up to 80% of eligible vet bills. 21 day cooling off period.
- annual benefit limit
- $30,000
- benefit percentage
- 80%
- choice of excess
- $0, $100, $200, $500
- choice of vet
- Yes
- available discounts
- 2 months free when you pay by monthly or fortnightly. Offer end on the 30th June 2025.
- accident only cover
- no
- accident and illness cover
- no
- routine care
- Yes
- routine care limit
- Up to $150
- dog
- yes
- cat
- yes
- ct and mris
- Yes
- cruciate ligament condition limits
- Yes, up to $4,000
- hip joint surgery
- Yes
- total hip replacement
- Yes
- tick paralysis
- Yes, up to $3,000
- dental cover
- No
- emergency boarding
- Yes, $1,200
- theft or straying
- No
- death from illness
- No
- legal liability
- No
- overseas pet travel insurance
- Yes
- essential euthanasia
- Yes
- maximum age in years
- 9
- minimum age in weeks
- -
- waiting period
- 0 days for specified accidental injuries (other than a cruciate ligament condition), 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions, 30 days for illness conditions
- special offers
- -
- pre approval process
- -
- claims service
- GapOnly techNology available on eligible claims (available at participating vets), electronic claims by vet (processed within 5 business days) or 24/7 online customer service portal
- other benefits
- Complimentary access to online vet consultations with VetChat, up to 4 per month.
- other restrictions
- After pets 8th birthday, annual benefit percentage reduces to 65% on the next policy renewal.
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Pet Insurance Australia Major Medical
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Comprehensive Pet Insurance
Give your pet the care they need with Budget Direct’s Comprehensive Pet Insurance. Get a generous $15,000 annual policy limit, routine care options to choose from and up to 80% money back on eligible vet bills (T&Cs apply). Get cover for orthopaedic care, accidental injury and illness cover as well as choice of vet.
annual benefit limit
$15,000benefit percentage
80%choice of excess
$100, $200choice of vet
Yesavailable discounts
- Receive 15% off the first year’s premium for new policies quoted online
CompareCompareComprehensive Pet Insurance
Give your pet the care they need with Budget Direct’s Comprehensive Pet Insurance. Get a generous $15,000 annual policy limit, routine care options to choose from and up to 80% money back on eligible vet bills (T&Cs apply). Get cover for orthopaedic care, accidental injury and illness cover as well as choice of vet.
- annual benefit limit
- $15,000
- benefit percentage
- 80%
- choice of excess
- $100, $200
- choice of vet
- Yes
- available discounts
- Receive 15% off the first year’s premium for new policies quoted online
- accident only cover
- no
- accident and illness cover
- yes
- routine care
- Optional
- routine care limit
- -
- dog
- yes
- cat
- yes
- ct and mris
- Yes
- cruciate ligament condition limits
- Yes, up to $2,600
- hip joint surgery
- Yes, orthopaedic limit up to $8,000
- total hip replacement
- Yes
- tick paralysis
- Yes, up to $1,500
- dental cover
- Optional Extra- Dental checkups, scale and polish only.
- emergency boarding
- No
- theft or straying
- No
- death from illness
- No
- legal liability
- No
- overseas pet travel insurance
- No
- essential euthanasia
- Yes
- maximum age in years
- 9
- minimum age in weeks
- 8
- waiting period
- 2 days for accidental injuries, 30 days for illness and tick paralysis, 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions
- special offers
- -
- pre approval process
- -
- claims service
- Submit claim by email or by post
- other benefits
- -
- other restrictions
- -
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Budget Direct Comprehensive Pet Insurance
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Pet Plan
Get dental, physio and behaviour cover included as standard with Fetch 30k cover with no sub-limits. Your plan includes free 24/7 vet support and an all Aussie vet nurse team to manage claims. Claims are paid directly to your vet.
annual benefit limit
$30,000benefit percentage
80%, 90% or 100%choice of excess
$0 - $100choice of vet
Yesavailable discounts
- -
CompareComparePet Plan
Get dental, physio and behaviour cover included as standard with Fetch 30k cover with no sub-limits. Your plan includes free 24/7 vet support and an all Aussie vet nurse team to manage claims. Claims are paid directly to your vet.
- annual benefit limit
- $30,000
- benefit percentage
- 80%, 90% or 100%
- choice of excess
- $0 - $100
- choice of vet
- Yes
- available discounts
- -
- accident only cover
- no
- accident and illness cover
- yes
- routine care
- No
- routine care limit
- n/a
- dog
- yes
- cat
- no
- ct and mris
- Yes
- cruciate ligament condition limits
- Yes
- hip joint surgery
- Yes
- total hip replacement
- Yes
- tick paralysis
- Yes
- dental cover
- Yes
- emergency boarding
- Up to 14 days
- theft or straying
- No - optional support with a social media campaign targeting up to 5,000 people in your postcode
- death from illness
- No
- legal liability
- No
- overseas pet travel insurance
- No
- essential euthanasia
- Yes
- maximum age in years
- 9
- minimum age in weeks
- 8
- waiting period
- 2 days for injury, 30 days illness, Cruciate rupture, Patellar Luxation, Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) and Cherry Eye, has a 90-day waiting period.. Option to submit a video to have waiting period waived.
- special offers
- -
- pre approval process
- Ask your vet to submit a pre-approval and get the outcome in-app.
- claims service
- Claim in-app or your vet submits online.
- other benefits
- Free 24/7 vet support in-app. Physio, Behavior cover included. See PDS for more.
- other restrictions
- -
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Fetch Pet Plan
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* Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Pet Insurance Awards