Cold weather poses severe threat to pets

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Lexington Humane Society wants to send a simple message as the temperatures drop outside: take your pets indoors.

"As cold as it is, it’s too cold for people – it’s way too cold for pets," says Ashley Hammond.

The Humane Society also recommends to keep bathroom breaks short for your pets.  They only let their dogs out for ten minutes or less.

Other recommendations are:

• Make sure your pets have fresh water at all times.
• Short-haired or small dogs should have sweaters to keep them warm.
• Keep chemicals like antifreeze out of the way, and be sure to clean up any spills.

The Humane Society says anyone not taking care of their pets in the severe cold, may be getting a visit from Lexington-Fayette’s Animal Care and Control.

"We’ve been dispatching officers out to those as quickly as possible to either educate the owners about providing proper shelter or even getting the animals to be brought inside." says Hammond.

Finally, Hammond recommends when your pets do get inside, be sure to check their paws. The salt being used on roads can irritate their paws and mouth, so be sure to wipe them off.