Your Pets, and Keeping Them Safe

12/14/2020 (Permalink)

SEVERE WEATHER:  Keep pets in mind when severe weather strikes. Bring your pets indoors.

FLOODING: Confine pets to one room of the house. Make plans for your pets in case you have to evacuate. Watch your animals closely and keep them under direct control.

Winter Weather:

• Never let you dog off its leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm. Dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. Most dogs are lost during winter than any other season, so please make sure they are always wearing ID TAGS.

• Make sure you wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when they come in out of the snow, sleet, or ice. They can ingest salt, antifreeze, or other potentially hazardous chemicals while licking their paws, and his paw pads may also begin to bleed from the snow or incrusted ice.

• Never shave your dog down to the skin in the winter, as there coat will provide more warmth. Do you own a short hair breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar, or turtleneck, with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly.

• NEVER leave your cat or dog alone in a vehicle during cold weather. Keep pets indoors if possible, especially if they are sensitive to the cold weather due to age, illness or breed type.

HEAT: Don’t leave your pets in vehicles. Even in cool temperatures, cars can heat up to dangerous very quickly, EVEN WITH WINDOWS CRACKED OPEN. Interior temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes. Pets left inside are at risk for serious heat related illnesses or even death.

WILDFIRES: Confine pets to one room of the home. Make plans for your pets in case you have to evacuate. Watch your animals closely and keep them under your direct control. Hidden embers and hot spots could burn your pet’s paws or hooves.