Winter Safety Tips for Dogs/Cats

Please, Please, PLEASE remember your pets when it gets this cold!!

Just a friendly reminder :)

A lot of us are going to be getting or are getting a very bad cold snap the next few days and I would like to remind everyone how important it is not to leave animals outside for any length of time when the temperature is going to drop like is supposed to in the next few days.

If you dog is an outdoor dog here are a few tips to keep them safe:

1. Make sure they are protected by a dry, draft-free doghouse that is large enough for then to sit and lie down in. Make sure the floor of the doghouse is off the ground a few inches and that the ground is covered by straw or shavings. Also make sure the doorway is turned to face away from the wind and the door should have some sort of a cover like burlap or plastic.

2. Make sure they have plenty of food since food helps keep them warm. Also make sure they have fresh water at all times. Please use plastic water and food bowls rather then metal. Their tongues can stick to metal with below freezing temperatures.

3. Warm engines in parked cars are a hazards for cats and small wildlife. Make sure you bang on the hood of your car before starting you car in the morning. You never know what might have curled up there after you got home last night.

4. By throwing salt down on your driveway or walkways and having your animals walk on it can irritate paw pads. After you bring your animal in make sure you wipe your animals paws to get any salt off of their pads before they lick them.

5. Watch for antifreeze spills. It is not only a poison to us but a huge poison to any animal. It tastes sweet so a animal will lick it up. Make sure you clean up any spills you may find.

The safest tip is to always bring your animals inside. Even if you don't like them in the main house try to put them in a garage or a basement. Please check on other animals in your neighborhood. Any stray animals you see please try to feed them and offer them a warm place to sleep. It is going to be to darn cold for anything to be outside!

I hope everyone stays warm! For those of you that are in a warm climate...I don't want to know :)

The 2 dogs in the pictures above are mine. The white and black one is Reese and the other is our old lady Sasha. They were both rescue dogs and are a huge part of our family! as are our 3 cats who are indoor cats.