Experts urge pet safety in cold weather

JACKSON, Tenn. — With temperatures expected to drop well below freezing this week, local animal experts and rescue organizations want to remind you to keep your pets safe.

“Whether they have long coats or not, they shouldn’t be out when it’s below freezing,” said Sidney Callison, adoption coordinator for Saving the Animals Together. “They are susceptible to many health conditions. Their nose, their paws, they are very sensitive.”

Local animal experts say your pets’ fur is not enough to keep them safe in cold weather.

“A recommendation would be, you keep a dog inside if possible, if not inside your home inside a garage, and make sure their shelters are up off the ground, either using a pallet or concrete pad,” said Candy Overstreet, environmental health program director with the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department.

And if your pets just can’t come inside, check on them every few hours.

“Some things that we need to watch out during the cold weather for sure is food and shelter,” Overstreet said. “So about every six hours, we want to check their food, especially their water, because in these conditions obviously they can become frozen.”

They also remind pet owners to maintain your outdoor pets’ shelters.

“They do have to have adequate shelter, so in the winter that means that they have to have a dog house that has three sides and a roof. They have to have some type of bedding,” Callison said.

Some products used to clear snow and ice, as well as other household chemicals, could also be a danger to your pets.

“It can really affect their paws, even for dogs that aren’t living outside,” Callison said. “When we take them out for walks, that salt’s really hard on their paws. So making sure that their paws are wiped when they come inside.”

Pets can also get sick due to winter weather.

“They can get colds just like we can, they can get flus just like we can, so just like us they have sicknesses that come with this kind of weather,” Callison said.

When making or checking your pet’s bedding, use water-resistant materials like hay rather than blankets.