WANTED: 300 readers who can help us by midnight tonight. I've been told that in the Mother Jones DC bureau last week, a debate raged over whether or not it's only crazy cat ladies who leave the air conditioner on all day for pets. I can see both sides: Sure, it's pitiful to see dogs pant and cats make themselves as flat as possible to beat the heat, especially during gnarly heat waves. And yes, it's true that pets are unable to doff their fur coats. On the other hand, their ancestors lived outside for eons before we domesticated them, so surely they must be heartier than we give them credit for. What's more, round-the-clock AC is exorbitantly expensive and contributes significantly to climate change, as the New York Times recently reported. Because of the soaring demand for air conditioning worldwide, and because the gases emitted by modern cooling equipment are extremely potent planet warmers, scientists estimate that AC units could account for a staggering 27 percent of global warming by 2050.

So is it really necessary to chill Fido all day long? I decided to call a few veterinarians to settle the argument once and for all. cover for central air conditioner unitDr. Helen Myers, veterinarian at the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, had this to say in an email:best brand ac system When the temperature and humidity rise, it becomes crucial to keep our pets comfortable and safe. parts of an outside ac unitAnimals cool themselves by panting, a process of exchanging warm air from their lungs for the cooler air outside. This cannot happen when it is hot and humid, which leads to increased risk for heat stress and exhaustion. Leaving the air circulating with fans or, better yet, leaving the air conditioning on will help to keep pets cool and healthy.

Thermostats should ideally be set at 78-80 degrees, an appropriate comfort level for most pets. Basements are typically cooler than the rest of the house, so if your basement is a comfortable place for your pet to be, having them spend time down there during a heat wave is also an option. Pets should also always have access to fresh water, as they can get dehydrated. Both cats and dogs are susceptible to excessive heat and humidity, but cats are more likely to control their activity so as not to add heat from muscle activity. Elderly, overweight, and pets with heart or lung diseases should be carefully watched, as they are highly susceptible to heat stroke. Pets with short muzzles like pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats are at a higher risk of becoming overheated because they cannot effectively pant. These pets should be kept in rooms with air conditioning so they can stay cool. Kimberly May, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the American Veterinary Medicine Association, added that it's important to observe your pet and adjust the indoor temperature according to its particular needs.

"Keep an eye on your pet and see where your pet hangs out," says May. "If your dog is constantly by the AC vent, you probably shouldn't turn it off. But if you see the dog sitting in the sunlight, you might have a little more leeway." As a general rule of thumb, cats are often slightly more heat-tolerant than dogs, and for both species, the longer the fur, the more uncomfortable the animal will be in extreme heat. As for the argument that animals don't need AC since their forebears dealt with heat just fine, May doesn't buy it. "We've domesticated them and ruined all that," she says. "It's not smart to make an assumption about their needs based on their ancestors. We've changed their diets; we've changed a lot of things." A few other tips from May: You can try putting ice in your pet's water bowl, but only if your animal is comfortable with it; some cats and dogs are freaked by ice and won't drink ice water at all. Some dogs like the pricey cooling pads sold at pet stores and on the internet (this one is $79.99 on eBay) but others won't go near them.

Walk dogs in the early morning or evening, and keep the walks short. Don't go running with your dog, since dogs will keep going, even if they're overheating. How can you tell if your animals are hot? Why, compare them to pictures of sweltering critters on the internet, of course. A few to get you started: These cats are eagerly awaiting the unveiling of their cooling station: Dog in a cooler: Here's a hot cat hanging out by a window: Here's a hot cat in Tokyo: And here's one who finds a potted plant cooling: New pop-up showroom in Malibu, California! Just 45mins from LAX. Please note that while we are based in San Francisco (where our warehouse is located) we currently don't have a permanent display there. We are however building a customer base of loyal Lotus Belle tent owners who are happy to show off their tents. Its not always possible to view the tents in person but there are hundreds of great testimonials online. Sign up to our mailing list to get updates on where you can view a Lotus Belle tent.

Simply select the items you want,  start  the check out process and you can get a quote there (before having to pay) The 13 foot tent is 13 feet in floor diameter (funny that) and 14.8 at it's widest point (waist level). It's total height is 9.8ft high and 4.8ft floor to top of walls. The two windows measure 2.6 x 2.3 ft each and the door 5 feet high x 3.5 feet wide. The door is 5ft x 3.54 wide. The 13 foot tent weighs 124 lbs approx and when it is packed up in its bag measures 3.7 ft x 1.3 x 1.3 The ideal approximate area including the guy lines for the 13ft tent is 527 ft2 (you can adjust the toggles inwards to take up less space) The floor area of the 13ft tent is 13ft by 13ft which is 169 ft² The 16 foot tent is 16 feet in floor diameter, 18 feet at its widest point and slightly taller at 10.5 feet high and 4.8ft floor to top of walls. The door and windows are the same dimensions as above. The 16 foot tent weighs 146 lbs and when it is packed up in its bag measures 4.2 ft x 1.3 x 1.3

The ideal approximate area including the guy lines for the 16ft tent is 688 ft2 The floor area of the 16ft tent is 16ft by 16ft which is 256 ft² 13ft tents can fit up to 4 standard size single beds and 16ft tents up to 6 standard size singles. You can even fit a queen size bed in a 13ft if its propped up as the 13ft tent is 14.8ft at its widest pointWe've tested the tent in many conditions and heavy showers and inside is dry as a bone. After extensive weathering we recommend cleaning and reproofing your tent with a suitable canvas treatment. Also really important to take precautions like never packing away your tent wet (especially the groundsheet!) and make sure the canvas shutters are down when drying it so there is no damp build-up. The 350 gsm tent canvas is treated to make it mould, mildew, rot and fire resistant. This does not guarantee you won't get mould, so please read the below care suggestions if you've not had experience with canvas tent before. How long it will last is totally dependent on how well you look after it.

We would expect a Lotus Belle tent to last at least 5-10 years, if well looked after hopefully much longer. We have friends still using canvas tents which have been in the family over 50 years! Click here for more information of looking after your Lotus Belle tent We use a very strong 340gsm PVC groundsheet which is the same durable/waterproof fabric that they make kayaks out of. We only use the best quality materials. If you would like to insulate your tent more or just provide a nice feel for the flooring you can use carpets, like those in the pictures. We will have more variety of mats and floor furnishings available form our store in 2016. We often get asked about platforms. You do not need to build a platform for your tent but it certainly helps if you have your tent up for longer term use having it raised off the ground. We do not sell blueprints or plans. Platforms range in price and quality. Some folks use re-purposed wood from pallets and others raised and levelled platforms like whats pictured below.

Its all part of the fun of owning a Lotus Belle adapting it to your needs. Have a look at the following link for some ideas from customers here on PinterestThe tent has 10 supporting poles and multiple guy ropes to keep it well anchored, a good idea is to slacken these in storms to let the tent move. We left it up recently during a 45 mph storm and the tent was fine. We have had customers report the tent "performed like a trooper" in winds gusting 62 miles per hour. It's not recommended you do this all the time. Any strong weather conditions are not good for your tent. Please exercise due diligence. If there are weather warnings set in place for your area, take your tent down. Ideally you'll have about 23 feet in diameter space/footprint to put up the 13 ft tent, but it can be smaller if you adjust the toggles inwards, around 20 ft minimum. You'll need 26 feet in diameter to pitch the 16 ft tent or a 23 foot minimum space. If you are pitching multiple tents you can overlap the guy lines to maximise space.

Woohoo, hurrah, finally, an almost-yurt that you can actually travel in a normal size car with! It folds up and fits in s large duffle bag, measuring about 4ft x 1.3 x 1.3 . So there's even room for your sleeping bag (and perhaps some clothes too if you're lucky) We don't mass produce our tents so some of our stock does sell out, but have more arriving and so pre-orders can be made. Contact us for an update on delivery if your item is on pre-order as sometimes if can take a couple of months. We only sell whats available on our web-store, we do a limited edition colour each year this year its green. We find that the most popular choose by a landslide is our cream canvas as it allows for plenty of natural light and it much better wearing. This is not necessary but a lot of customers like to build a platform to increase the lifespan of the tent. We do not have plans or blueprints for the platforms as many people build different ones, from quite elaborate platforms as can be seen in this video Living in a Lotus Belle to more basic ones.

We have some customer pics on our Pinterest page which can be viewed here If you have an air conditioning unit but don't have a burner hole you can vent the unit by putting it through one of the two windows in the Lotus Belle and zipping both zips shut around it Once you get the hang of it one person can do the whole thing in 45 minutes. Sure its easier with two people but one person will be able to erect the tent if need be. There are two methods of putting the tent up - roof first or walls first. It is easier to put the walls up first, but if its raining when you put it up, then roof first is better. (also - if you leave the wall poles in the canvas, you can put it up in 15 minutes) As a guide, we say 4-6 months a year (depending on the conditions and climate in your area), which makes it perfect for semi-permanent accommodation for your business or just a family member visiting for the summer! We have customers ranging from eco-tourist resorts, kids education centres to artists wanting studio space and everything in between.