Staying Warm: When pets fur gets wet from being outdoors in cold rain and snow, they actually become more susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite because their fur chills them instead of keeping them warm. Do the right thing and BRING THEM INSIDE.
What's Toxic: Antifreeze and puddles of gasoline, oil or other lubricants can be harmful and potentially fatal to pets. They aren't attracted to the taste of petroleum products like they are to antifreeze, but if they step in oil or gasoline, they may lick it off and could poison themselves by doing so. If you believe your pet has ingested antifreeze, get them to a veterinarian immediately!
Cats get cold too: Unfortunately many cats, due to being dumped or stray, stay outdoors much of the year. If they are your pets then consider acclimating them to being inside as it's a far safer way of life. However if you know of or care for cats in feral colonies, there are some things you can do to prepare for cold weather. Building winter shelters to help them stay warm is important but so is providing food and water on a daily basis.
Alley Cat Allies has rounded up a great list of outdoor shelters, from the basic to the elaborate, along with links to instructions on how to build them here http://www.alleycat.org/Page.aspx?pid=701. This is a step-by-step graphic showing how to make a winter shelter for outdoor cats using plastic tubs with bedding inside.
Enjoying the outdoors: Just like people, pets’ cold tolerance can vary from pet to pet based on their coat, body fat stores, activity level, and health. You will probably need to shorten your dog’s walks in very cold weather to protect you both from weather-associated health risks. Arthritic and elderly pets may have more difficulty walking on snow and ice and may be more prone to slipping and falling.
Long-haired or thick-coated dogs tend to be more cold-tolerant, but are still at risk in
cold weather. Short-haired pets feel the cold faster because they have less protection, and short-legged pets may become cold faster because their bellies and bodies are more likely to come into contact with snow-covered ground.
What to do if you see pets left outside in severe weather: Contact your local animal control for the area and report situations immediately Make sure you have all the information needed such as location, address/house number and a photo if you can take one. Sometimes you may be directed to another number or department after hours but make sure to follow up and give the report to the correct agency.
While laws regarding animals left outdoors and/or what type of shelter they must have vary widely, some places have far better protection for dogs left outside than others. Regulations regarding animals chained for extended periods of time also differ from county to county and state to state. As you can see below, each area will have it's own guidelines and laws regarding animal well being.
If you don't know what the law includes, read up on it and get to know what you can do when you see such situations. Ultimately, the change which is needed often comes from contacting state representatives and legislators to share your concerns, and this is a process that needs to happen over and over again so they hear it from many different citizens. Getting involved is the only way to bring about change for animal welfare.
Lost Pet PR | Delmarva's Lost and Found Pet Network
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Covering the Eastern Shore areas of Maryland and
Virginia and including the state of Delaware
