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Protecting Pets During Hurricane Season
By Debbie Williams Reporter
Published: Wed, January 02, 2008 - 6:10 pm
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 6:45 pm
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 6:45 pm
Debbie Williams
There is a Chocolate Lab mix in Baldwin County named Chaz and his best friend is Josh White. "I'm the one who feeds him and gives him water and stuff."
When the temperature starts falling Chaz isn't worried about being left out in the cold. "We bring him inside when it starts to get five o'clock and we give him this bed with two towels on it and he lays down on it and if he gets so cold then he'll come in the living room and lay on the carpet and stuff."
That's what veterinarian Chris Aisnworth recommends for all pets, bring them inside. "It's the dogs we really worry about at least put them in a garage, a barn, somewhere just to break the wind for tonight cause it's going to be really cold tonight."
Tonight Chaz will be nice and warm inside. But if you absolutely cannot bring your animal in there are some things you still need to do according to Ainsworth.
"You got to make sure their water doesn't freeze and you've got to make sure they have plenty of food and you've got to block the wind. The wind is the killer."
Keeping your pet safe and happy is what being a good pet owner is all about and tonight, you can add keeping them warm to that list.
Small dogs and short haired dogs are particularly vulnerable to cold weather.
Dr. Ainsworth says if they are going to be kept in a garage or an outside pen, they need to have a sweater on. He also says make sure they are out of the wind.
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Ike expected to be in the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of…
We had an outside cat “Buddy” several years ago. He would NOT stay in the house for more than a couple of hours. The first winter we had him I built him a house. Yep… A cat house… Laugh
Had a front porch, windows and using “blue board” it was even insulated. I tried keeping it warm with a light bulb, but that just didn’t work. So I got him a small electric blanket and a couple of small fuzzy blankets. Worked great. During the worst part of the winter you could reach in there and he would be curled up warm as toast. Took a weekend and a sheet of 1/2 inch plywood to make his house. That was twenty something years ago. Have the house still, but “Buddy” passed away a couple of years ago. It’s not hard to keep your pets warm. Just takes a will to do whats right.