A local animal shelter is sending a message for pets in the heat.

The Rio Grande Valley Humane Society hosted one of their community clinics on Saturday. They say they're updating their rules while keeping the safety of furry friends in mind.

For now, the shelter will only accept animals if the dogs are placed inside the car. They had a lot of dogs panting from the heat after being left in a crate outside or in truck beds. They want to prevent any heat strokes in those dogs.

"We really want to keep these animals protected during this heat," Maria Villagomez with the humane society said. "We saw a handful of dogs that were showing symptoms. If you are registered for any of our clinics, whether it be here in Harlingen or in Mission, you cannot have your dogs outside your vehicle."

The symptoms that your dog is suffering a heat stroke are panting, drooling, vomiting and disorientation. If you think your dog might be having a heat stroke, go to an emergency vet.

You can also cool them down with a damp towel or spraying them with lukewarm water. Cold water is not advised as it could shock your dog and make the issue worse.