Kerr County Animal Services

With temperatures expected to dip soon, Kerr County Animal Services felt it imperative to remind local pet owners of how to keep their furry, four-legged family members safe and healthy through whatever cold snaps the winter may bring.

Here are a few tips from KCAS on how to protect pets during the cold:

• WATER: Make sure to have plenty of fresh water on hand for your family and your pets. This is important if pipes freeze, so remember pets when buying bottled water or filling up water jugs.

• FOOD: Be sure to have plenty of food on hand to feed your animals. Colder temperatures mean that pets need more food to sustain healthy body temperatures. Food = Energy – Warmth.

• SHELTER: Make a space somewhere indoors where you can bring in your outdoor cats and dogs, to prevent them from suffering hypothermia. Exposure to very cold temperatures leads to an animal having lower body temperatures, which may result in death.

• HEAT LAMPS: If you plan on using heat lamps for your pets, please make sure that they are designed for the location that you plan to use them in. Never leave pets unattended with heat lamps.

• DO NOT USE HAY: Make sure to use straw, not hay, for other outdoor animals, such as horses, goats, sheep, etc. Do not use hay, KCAS emphasized, because it soaks up moisture and becomes a soggy mess that harbors mold that can make animals sick.

• LIMIT EXPOSURE: Be sure to limit all outdoor time for all pets to prevent hypothermia and potential death.