Pet owners have been reminded by experts to bring pets indoors this week

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) — With freezing cold weather forecast for the next few days, animal experts are reminding pet owners to bring their furry companions indoors and to be aware of other concerns that come with the winter weather.

“If you’re too cold outside, it’s probably too cold outside for your pet, too,” said Cody Costa of the Pikes Peak Region Humane Society. “Of course there are some exceptions to this rule, like with the huskies and those breeds that like to be out in the cold…but mostly, if it’s too cold outside to be out there like 10 or 15 minutes, then it’s yours.” Dog probably too cold outside.”

Costa has these cold-weather tips for pet owners:

1. Keep pets in a warm and dry shelter. “It can still be very cold in storage sheds and garages, so bringing the dogs is definitely preferable… If you have a dog that likes to stay outside in this cold weather, we only recommend going for a warm one and waterproof protection that prefers to take off from the cold ground,” said Costa.
2. Use extra layers, like pet jackets and sweaters. “Just like us, if you’re out with a sweatshirt and want to throw this jacket over it, it offers that little bit of extra warmth… I understand that some dogs aren’t the biggest fans of things to wear, that’s difficult at times, but.” it can provide a bit of extra warmth to protect them… The short haired dogs, so like the Chihuahuas and all other smooth haired dogs, they get a little bit colder quicker and the same goes for cats,” Costa added.
3. Paw covers can be lifesavers. According to Costra, the treatments used on roads and sidewalks to melt snow and ice can become trapped between paw pads and cause serious infections. “The dogs’ paws can be sensitive to this. Some of these salts can be toxic.”
4. Wipe off when you get back inside. “The snow can also get matted into the long coat and then freeze, so it’s just really cold and it hurts the dog.”
5. Keep antifreeze away from pets. “Antifreeze is toxic so be sure to wipe up spills and keep them out of reach when replacing it in your car as it could be fatal to your furry friends.”

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