This month of July wasn’t my first one in Skopje so I thought I would be able to handle the heat this time. I was right. Yet it was still hard to fall asleep. But heatwaves aren’t kind to everyone. Since the beginning of the month I saw plenty of animals in pain. How can we help them?

The animals most vulnerable to urban heatwaves are pigeons, squirrels, and stray cats and dogs. Pigeons suffer because the concrete and asphalt of cities absorb and radiate intense heat, raising ground-level temperatures to dangerous levels. Stray animals, lacking access to air conditioning or even shade, are at high risk of dehydration and burns on their paws from scorching pavement. Small creatures like hedgehogs and birds also struggle as their natural water sources evaporate and insects, their food supply, become scarce.

We can all make a difference with a few simple actions. Place small bowls of cool water under the shadow of your balcony, in the garden, or on the sidewalk for birds and insects. You can also create a “cool spot” by leaving a damp towel on the ground for stray animals to lie on. For birds, putting out high-moisture foods like fruit or soaked mealworms can provide both hydration and energy, while simply refilling birdbaths daily can be a lifesaving act.

Our care for these animals is not just an act of kindness, but a moral duty. The extreme heatwaves we are experiencing are undeniably linked to human-caused climate change, driven by the emissions we have released. Since our actions have created this hostile environment, we have a direct obligation to help the creatures who share our cities and cannot adapt quickly enough. Helping them is a small but vital way to take responsibility for the world we have shaped and to practice compassion in the face of a crisis we have helped create.

Arthur Bonhoure–Tolfo