edit* This was originally a post on my facebook page, in the days after the heat dome. At the time I was not aware just how serious this event was for the lower mainland. A total of 619 people lost their lives due to heat related causes during those few days in Canada, with more people dying as well in the States. Many of these people were seniors, living alone in apartments without AC, with nobody to check up on them. This is something that haunts me still, and is one of the reasons I use and recommend a daily health check in app on a smartphone that alerts family or friends if something happens.

*And it was not just the human toll that hits hard. I have talked to many people who have lost their pets during the heat dome, over 50 birds so far I have been told of. A veterinary office in Surrey I walked to about another issue told me that they had over 300 dogs that had passed due to heat, and that was only one vet office!*

Wow, what an experience the last four days have been! I hope all of you have come out okay, and that your feathered and furry friends are doing well. This has been hard for many of us, and tragically too hard for many beloved pets, as many have been lost.

We all have our stories about how we coped and cared for ourselves and our pets. If you have a story that you would like to share, please tell it in the comments. I, and many others, would like to hear how you dealt with the heat. What worked and what did not, and the unexpected challenges that had to be faced.

My story? It got hot hear in Abbotsford, 44 on Saturday and up to 46 on Monday. My outdoor sensors even showed 50 for an hour in the shade on Monday, due to our location and the heat coming off the fields behind the house. I thought I was prepared, with 4 AC units in the main bird rooms, generator and backup generator in case of power failure, but I underestimated the blunt force of the heat coming in. Breakers tripped constantly at first, AC units went down ( Clean the Filters!), and extension cords burned out. It became a race of fixing the equipment issues, misting down the birds, refilling the tubs, checking on the house and getting enough water in me to keep going. After only a few minutes of an AC unit going down, the temperature would rise from an acceptable 32 to the smothering 40's. Four 18 hour days later, at times feeling horrible and in a near panic, all my birdies are fine. Just a little vexed at having the cage lighting turned off and the feeding of chop suspended because of the risk of spoilage. All the babies in brooders are fine, and the young in the grow up cages are well. As for the effect on the breeding season, time will tell. The smaller birds such as budgies, lovies and parrotlets are doing fine, but the larger breeds, the conures, suns, quakers, ringnecks, senegals and such are still out of their nest boxes during the day. They do go back in to snuggle their eggs at night, but again time will tell. My special birdies that are bonded with me are a mixture of extra needy of cuddles or greatly annoyed with me, due to all the disruptions.

What will I do to prepare for "next time"? As soon as there is stock in stores I will be picking up another 3 AC units for secondary bird rooms, as well as one for general backup. Having air conditioners in the summer and a heat source in the winter could be very important. The generators will be in place outside, with all new heavy duty exterior extension cords, and the new system stress tested. New weatherstripping on doors, and duct tape to seal off any gaps from anything palced in a window will help keep hot air out and cool air in. Having a large amount of ice ready in the freezer to put into a bathtub of cold water to act as a heat sink. Having everything I need for several days on hand, so I don't have to leave. Most important is having someone I can call, who can get there quick, in case I need help.

I was lucky in many ways, but we all know it is better to be prepared with a plan than to rely on luck. I hope that everyone is done fine, or at least coping, and enjoying our time with our feathered friends. Stay safe all!

P.S. oh, and the picture? Took me ages to find where this little parrotlet went to!