Are Your Animals Safe?

When the temperatures drop into the -20 range like they did earlier this week you have to think about the comfort and safety of your outdoor animals. Many people have dogs that live outside all year. They need a good warm house to get inside on these cold nights. One mistake that many make is to get a dog house that is too large. The house should be just large enough for the dog to get in, turn around and curl up. A heavy flap on the door is also a good idea to keep out the cold wind. You need to provide good clean dry bedding for them too.

Dogs need extra food during the cold winter too. They should be fed half again as much as usual and need clean water at least once a day. Better yet, if you can feed them twice a day and water them it’s even better. They need a lot of food to create body heat to keep them warm.

On those really cold nights when it gets to -20 or so, bring them inside. Even a garage or basement will be a big improvement over staying out in the cold outdoors. These animals depend on you to keep them safe and sound. If you see someone neglecting their animals, don’t just overlook it either. Call the Humane Society or Sheriff and see to it they get some care. They can’t do it for themselves, they need our help.

post by: Dan Bomkamp