Winter has finally arrived; if not by the calendar, then at least by the thermometer. The air is brisk, the ground crunchy, and most of all, the temperature low. And humans aren’t the only animals feeling it.
This time of year, wild animals burrow in for the cold months, seeking out food and comfort to last them until spring. Squirrels gather nuts, birds fly south, and bears find caves and nap the long winter nap.
But some animals don’t have the luxury of a tree-top nest, a den, or a trip to Brazil. Some animals are stuck out in the cold, and not always because they want to be. Stray animals, feral cats, and worst, chained dogs, all have to deal with frigid, inclement weather often because they have no choice.
Obviously it would be great if we could keep all animals indoors during the cold months, mooting the point of this column, but it’s not realistic. However, even if you can’t provide a home for an animal, or you house too many already (like me), you can do a lot to help the less fortunate this season. I’ve compiled a few tidbits of knowledge for you from www.helpinganimals.com that I think will help make this season more pleasant for all, humans and animals alike.
Companion animals should always be kept indoors if possible, because they can become confused and lost in snow and ice. During cold months it’s especially important to bring in young and old animals. Dogs with short coats, even large ones like Rottweilers and Dobermans, should be kept inside whenever possible. Any animal that will allow you to dress it can benefit from a sweater or coat during winter months, and booties during long walks in the snow are nicer still. But if the animal refuses to wear clothes, don’t force the issue; just make sure they stay warm and comfortable.
A good tip for humans with dogs and cats that like to go out in the snow – make sure to wipe off your animal’s legs and stomach after trips outside to remove chemicals they may have picked up from snow, ice or salt on the ground meant to prevent falls. The chemicals can make an animal sick if ingested during ritual tongue baths (you know – grooming).
The biggest problem during winter months for many animals without inside homes, is finding a warm place to sleep. Cats will sleep everywhere from trees to under car hoods. While a tree is not a particularly dangerous place for a cat to nap, saving an encounter with an angry raccoon, a car engine certainly is. Many cats are maimed or killed each year because they were curled up on an engine block of a car when it started.
The simplest way to avoid a situation such as this would be to bang loudly on the hood of your car before starting it up. It may look funny to the neighbors, but it beats the alternative. You can also honk the horn to awaken any sleeping cuties that may have taken refuge in or around your vehicle.
Stray dogs will also take to sleeping around cars, so it never hurts to check and make sure there’s no one lazing behind your tires before you drive off. This is good advice regardless of season.
Homeless animals aren’t the only ones that often have a hard time keeping warm in the winter. Dogs kept chained in yards are worse off than most strays, because they can’t seek out shelter if they aren’t provided with one. It is extremely important that outside dogs are given a proper place to keep out of the cold.
“Doghouses should be made of wood or plastic (metal conducts cold) and positioned in a sunny, sheltered location during cold weather,” says helpinganimals.com. “Raise the house off the ground several inches and put a flap ([like a] car doormat) over the door to keep out cold drafts. Use straw or cedar shavings for bedding – rugs and blankets hold the moisture and freeze up.
Make sure the house is really weatherproof – a slit car floor mat at the entrance helps keep body heat inside, while a lip keeps hay from spilling out.” In an area such as the one we live in, finding a bale of hay to use as bedding in doghouses is easy, not to mention possibly lifesaving. And just leaving some excess straw around to be picked up by squirrels and other nesting animals is always a nice thing to do as well.
Another serious problem that plagues animals this time of year is accidental poisonings. Antifreeze is usually the culprit, because of its flavor and abundance during cold weather.
Cleaning up spills immediately is a sure-fire way to avoid tragedy, but using an antifreeze brand with propylene glycol, rather than ethylene glycol, will lower the risk as well.
And the absolute easiest way to help animals during winter months is to take care of one. Take in animals without identification if you can; if you can’t find their family, take them to a shelter if you can’t care for them yourself.
If an animal won’t let you approach it, but appears to be homeless, leave out dishes of food and water. A small doghouse with straw can be used as a shelter for cats, or even a box if that’s all you have around.
You can also contact the Washington County/Johnson City Animal Control Center for help in humanely trapping animals, so they can be brought indoors. The number is 926-8769, and workers are available from noon to 5 p.m. every day.
For more information about how to help animals, this season and throughout the year, check out www.helpinganimals.com.
And as always, feel free to let me know what you think at mohawktown@hotmail.com or etnews@etsu.edu.

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