How can you protect your pets from the cold? As winter has been upon us, the temperatures have dropped greatly, and unsupervised pets can be at risk. House pets, if left unsupervised for long periods of time outside, can perish from the heat or the cold.
Tabatha Jackson, a 16-year-old whose dog, Diesel, died due to severe temperatures said, “He [Diesel] seemed to be inside when I got home.” It had been extremely hot out. “We all thought he was sleeping until the police were at our door,” Jackson said. The police were at her house due to Diesel’s corpse being on the driveway.
Diesel had died due to heat exhaustion because he got out of the house and was left unsupervised. While the temperatures are cold, animals can still die due to the severe temperatures.
While these pets are domesticated, the chances of them dying due to the weather are significantly increased as cold weather is a large cause of death for animal populations. Now that most of North America is struggling with winter, it’s good to know what you can do to keep animals safe.
Most shelters have an influx of animals, to keep them safe as people will give up their unwanted Christmas gifts- the pets. Oftentimes these shelters are overflowing with animals who don’t have homes and are lucky to be sheltered, fed, and warm.
Australian cattle dog owners have been telling each other how they care for their pets when it’s cold. They say that they make sweaters for their dogs due to their thinner coats, or even mittens for them. This is because Australian cattle dogs are short-haired. They have two coats, yet they’re thin and do not provide warmth like other breed’s coats do. These coats are thin, and not dense enough to keep moisture for long.
The American Red Cross says to know your pet’s limits. Certain dogs, like corgis and huskies, will be fine in snow for a while as their coats and skin will keep them warm, but other dogs may not. They also say to check your engine, as a warm engine is an appealing source of warmth for outdoor and feral cats.
Other than keeping your own pets safe in the winter, what else can you do? Well, you can make a shelter for stray cats, as it’s relatively easy and inexpensive. These shelters will provide protection from any mild or harsh weather and can be stocked with food. It’s also good to make a feeding station and to provide a constant supply of food and water so they have easy access to sustenance.
You can also adopt a stray cat or dog if you can afford to take it to the vet. Not only will the animal now be safe, it will also be provided with a loving home. Even if you do not keep the animal as a pet after winter, at least you may know that you have saved its life.
