Animals suffer in these cold temperatures as well.

SOUTH BEND — Story posted in November, 2014: There’s nothing too surprising about a cold winter in Indiana.

“These cold snaps are a fact here in Indiana that we face every winter,” said Matt Harmon of South Bend Animal Care and Control. “This time of year it kind of hit everyone by surprise.”

“It’s just kind of, winter hit a bit quicker than we planned,” said Crystal Coleman, a pet owner. “We didn’t plan on it getting this cold this quick.”

The extreme cold being here so early took many by surprise. It also means going outside is very dangerous, for both people and pets.

“We’re talking just minutes,” Harmon said. “Once an animal goes out in this sort of weather, they need to have access to that proper shelter. Whether it be some sort of outdoor shelter or whether it be the actual inside of your house.”

It’s so cold that South Bend Animal Control is already getting lots of calls from people worried about pets left outside. They respond to these calls 24-hours-a-day to make sure no pet is in danger.

“Obviously, I encourage you to keep your pet indoors,” Harmon said. “But if you must keep your pets outside, you’re going to want to make sure you’re following all the laws. The laws have become more strict in the past couple of months.”

That means that outdoor animal shelters, like a doghouse, must have some sort of flap covering the entrance to keep out the cold. They also need to be insulated with something, like straw.

“My husky, he prefers to be out in the snow,” Coleman said. “So, it’s hard getting him out of it, but we got a dog house out back that we’re actually winterizing. I was just talking about putting on the dog flaps for the door.”

The goal is to keep every pet safe. If your dog needs to go outside you have to keep an eye on them.

Some types of dogs, like huskies, aren’t as bothered by the extreme cold and prefer to be outside for long stretches. But if you’re going to use a doghouse or outdoor shelter for your dog, by law it must have some form of insulation and a flap to keep out the cold.

You can get more information about what you should do if you see a pet left outside in the cold here:  The Humane Society

Source: WSBT