Cold Weather and Pets

Baby its Cold Outside!!!  

For those of my readers who believe animals belong outside I have a challenge for you.  The next time the temperature outside falls below freezing, put on your coat, hat, scarf, and gloves and go outside and stay outside for at least an hour.

Now be honest.  Are you cold?  Can you not wait to get back inside where it is warm? 

Now thinking about your dog or cat…who you feel needs to live outside because they are an animal.  Don’t you think they get cold as well??  Sure, they have fur coats, but you were just out there with your coat, gloves, scarf and other cold weather gear…but you were still cold…weren’t you?

Just like humans, animals need to be protected from the cold weather.  They need shelter and warmth just as much as we do.  You may be thinking, there’s a dog house out there.  They can go inside there and get warm.  Ok…next challenge.  Go stand in your unheated garage for about an hour.  Still cold?? 

Sure…some dogs are bred to tolerate the cold weather better than others and they can handle it.  But unless you have an Alaskan Malamute or Husky, Samoyeds, or other arctic breed, your dog needs shelter.  And even these breeds need shelter in bitter temperatures.  No breed of cat is able to tolerate freezing temperatures.  If you must leave your pet outside, make sure they have adequate shelter.  Insulated dog house, plenty of unfrozen water, and warm dry bedding.

Here at the rescue, we turned our garage into a shelter.  It is somewhat heated because the fire box for our wood burner extends into the garage.  However, it is not insulated and it still gets cold in there.  When the temps drop, we bring all the dogs into the house and put them in kennels inside to keep warm.  If it is cold enough for their water to freeze, then it is too cold for them to be out there.

I read and hear horror stories every day about pets left outside in all kinds of weather.  One story just yesterday was about a puppy and kitten found huddled together on the side of the road trying to keep warm. They had icicles hanging from their noses and were almost dead.  They were rescued and are now trying to find a home together, but not every pet is so lucky.  Please use your common sense and shelter your pet in this frigid weather.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri