Davidson County Sheriff's Office: Take winter weather precautions for outdoor pets
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Frigid temps and windchills are expected in the coming days. If you don't take cold weather precautions, outdoor pets will suffer.
While it is the best practice to bring pets inside, if they have to be outside, make sure they have proper protections from the cold. Dog breeds including Huskies and Pyrenees can tolerate winter conditions well because their thick coats provide insulation for cold climates. Dogs known as pit bulls or pit mixes, which have thin coats and bare underbellies, shiver easily and need to be indoors or at the least provided well-insulated shelter. Puppies and elderly, frail or sick dogs are especially vulnerable to winter weather, and need extra protection.
Access to an insulated dog or cat house, garage or shed when temperatures drop below 45 degrees helps keep animals warm. Pets accustomed to indoor living or temperate climates should not be left outside in freezing temperatures. Make the shelter accessible so an animal can use it whether a resident is home or not.
A plastic or wood cat or dog house can help protect them from the wind, but it doesn't keep them warm. Insulate any outdoor shelter with straw bedding – not hay. Straw does not absorb moisture; hay does, meaning hay not only absorbs precipitation but holds the moisture and will become moldy.
If insulating a dog or cat enclosure with hay, it needs to be stuffed about half full so the animal can get inside and burrow into the straw. It should be filled all along the sides and back. Bales are usually $10 or less at local feed stores and will stuff three to four house. For the same reason hay is not advisable, neither are blankets or any kind of cloth. The fabric absorbs moisture from the air and makes the pet colder. Shavings can also be used to absorb the moisture from the air, but needs to be changed regularly.
Always ensure pets have access to fresh, unfrozen water.
If you see an animal suffering in the cold temps, contact the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies work hard to make contact with animals reported to the department. If you see an animal/ owner struggling to provide, please call (336) 249-0131 or (336) 242-2105. The Davidson County Animal Shelter is still able to take donated bags of shavings or new or gently used dog houses.
