By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
It may be the end of December, but currently it feels more like winter, and Friends of the Animal Shelter wants you to think about your pets and their safety.
Melanie Barnes with Friends says as the temperatures get colder you should be sure to bring your pets inside or into the garage as much as you can.
"They are just as susceptible to hypothermia, frostbite, other conditions and risks of being outside in the cold too long," Barnes tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.
Barnes says if your dogs must be outside, make sure you have some sort of elevated, covered surface for them to be inside.
"If your pet is on the ground, they're going to lose a lot of body heat to the ground, so having it up off the ground some type of housing enclosure would be helpful," Barnes explains. "And then making sure it is lined with clean, dry bedding, straw is actually a lot better than blankets because blankets will hold the moisture and straw does not hold the moisture."
Barnes also says if you have outdoor cats to keep an eye on them, especially around outdoor vehicles, as they can be clever about where they find heat in the cold.
"People say make some noise in your vehicle if it's an outdoor vehicle and you're getting ready to start it because cats will find that warm engine heat," Barnes points out.
Barnes says to also keep an eye out for cats laying on black asphalt as it will absorb heat from the sun throughout the day.
Highs through the holiday weekend are expected to be between the low 30's and mid 40's, however lows are expected to drop to as low as 19.