The recent cold temperatures and heavy snow which have visited the area, also pose a risk to area animals.Trish Brown, business manager of the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County, said pet owners should take precautions during the winter months to keep their furry friends safe from the elements. Brown said even pets who live outside most of the time need extra shelter when temperatures plummet and snow piles up.
"They really need a place to get inside out of the wind," she said, "some kind of environment out of the elements."
Brown said it's a good idea to bring outside pets into garages or even houses when the temperatures are freezing and below.
"If they have to be outside, they need to have straw or some kind of insulation," she said.
Brown said pets' water bowls need to be checked more often in the winter. Sub-freezing temperatures can freeze a bowl of water in a matter of minutes, and pets face a real danger of dehydration.
Dog owners also should pay close attention to their dogs' feet in the winter.
"Dogs' foot pads need to be checked regularly because if they get wet and then cold, they can get frost bite," Brown said.
Frost bite shows up on dogs in a similar way as it does on a human - cracked and bleeding or discolored skin on the foot pad. Brown said pet owners can use coatings like vaseline to protect their dogs' feet.
Stray pets often show up near houses and buildings during cold weather. Brown said the Animal Shelter has had a recent influx of stray dogs.
"We're getting a lot of animals right now because dogs and cats don't want to be outside," she said. "They're looking for a place where they can get warm."
Brown said area residents who find stray animals on their property can bring them to the Animal Shelter at 3489 E. CR 100S, just off U.S. 30 behind Tractor Supply and Lakeside Honda. The shelter's hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays; and Saturdays, 11:30 to 4 p.m. The shelter is closed Sundays and Mondays.
Brown said if a resident has a hard time catching a stray animal, to call animal control at the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department in the county or Warsaw Police Department in the city.
For more information, call the Animal Shelter at 574-267-3008 or visit the Animal Welfare League's Web site, www.awl-warsaw.org
