Winterizing Your Pet
[After experiencing some rather pleasant days by Wisconsin winter standards, it seems we're now back in the deep freeze (though we've certainly known worse at times). It's cold for our pets too, despite their having fur coats. Here are some tips from the Amreican Humane Association on how to keep your four-legged friends warm and safe during these cold winter months. The Oshkosh Police Department has also emailed us the city ordinances as they apply to animal welfare when keeping an animal outdoors. We're passing the information along to you in hopes that you will find it useful and think about your pet and its needs, specially when the temperatures dip.]
When the temperature (and the snow) begins to fall, you'll find that your pet needs a little extra care from you. Here are some points to remember this winter.
Cats and dogs need protection from wet and cold, whether they get it inside your house or inside their own. Cats are best kept inside when it gets cold, as are most small and short-haired dogs. An outdoor dog needs a dry, elevated dog house with clean, dry bedding and a flap over the opening to keep drafts out. Or consider adding a dog door to the garage with a soft cushion in the warmest corner.
A bowl of frozen water can't help a thirsty pet. Frozen water is not adequate to keep your animal from dehydrating. Check outdoor water bowls often when it's below freezing, and break the ice or refill with water as necessary.
Outdoor dogs need more calories in the winter to produce body heat, so increase the amount you feed your pet. On the other hand, indoor dogs and cats may get less exercise in the cold months, and will need fewer calories to avoid weight gain.
Chemicals used to melt snow on sidewalks can irritate pets' paws, so you may need to wipe them with a wet cloth after an outing. Dogs outside in the snow may need the ice between their paw pads removed.
Antifreeze tastes good to pets, but it is a deadly poison. The most likely source of the poison is radiator drainage spots in your garage, which should be flushed with water immediately.
A cat may crawl up under your car seeking shelter and warmth near the engine. It may get caught in the fan and seriously injured when the engine starts. Open the hood of your car or slap it noisily with your hand before starting the engine on cold days to startle any animal sleeping there.
Oshkosh City Ordinance as it pertains to pets kept outdoors, plus a few others that may bear reminding:
SECTION 6-7 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
(A) Every owner or person responsible shall provide animals with a sufficient supply of good/wholesome food and potable water to maintain health.
(B) No person shall confine and/or allow animals to remain outside during adverse weather conditions constituting a health hazard to such animal.
(1) Sufficient shade by natural or artificial source shall be provided to protect the animal from direct sunlight.
(2) Natural or artificial shelter appropriate to the local climatic conditions shall be provided as necessary.
(C) Every owner and/or person in charge or control of any animal which is kept outdoors, or in an unheated enclosure, shall provide such animal with shelter and bedding as prescribed in this section as a minimum.
(1) The housing facilities shall be structurally sound, moisture proof and maintained in good repair.
(2) Enclosures shall be constructed and maintained to provide sufficient space to allow each animal adequate freedom of movement and the retention of body heat.
(3) A solid floor raised at least 2" off the ground.
(4) An entrance covered by a self-closing swinging covering, or an L-shaped entrance to prevent the wind from blowing directly into the house.
(5) A sufficient quantity of suitable clean bedding material, to provide insulation and protection against the cold and dampness and promote the retention of body heat.
(6) During the months of May through September, inclusive, paragraphs 5 and 6 above may be suspended.
(D) Every owner that houses or confines an animal in a pen or enclosure shall keep and maintain such pen or enclosure in a clean, sanitary and odor free condition.
(E) No person may abandon or neglect any animal.
(F) No person shall kick, beat, cruelly ill treat, torment, overload, overwork, or otherwise abuse any animal.
(G) No person may cause or allow an animal to be placed or confined in a motor vehicle under such conditions or for such a period of time, without adequate ventilation, as to endanger the health or well being of such animal due to temperature, humidity, lack of food or drink, or such other conditions as may be reasonably expected to cause suffering, disability or death.
(H) No person may intentionally instigate, promote, aid or abet as a principal, agent or employee, or participate in the earnings from, or intentionally maintain or allow any place to be used for a cockfight, dog fight, bullfight or other fight between the same or different kinds of animals or between an animal and a person (951.08).
(I) No theatrical exhibit or act shall be held in which animals are forced or encouraged to perform through the use of chemical, electrical or mechanical devises. (951.07)
(J) The performance of any act prohibited by this section, or the non-performance of any act required by it, shall be deemed cruelty to animals and subject to the provisions of sections 951.15 and 951.16 Wis. Stats. adopted herein. Impoundment of animals under this section shall be as prescribed in section 6-18 of this municipal code.
When the temperature (and the snow) begins to fall, you'll find that your pet needs a little extra care from you. Here are some points to remember this winter.
Cats and dogs need protection from wet and cold, whether they get it inside your house or inside their own. Cats are best kept inside when it gets cold, as are most small and short-haired dogs. An outdoor dog needs a dry, elevated dog house with clean, dry bedding and a flap over the opening to keep drafts out. Or consider adding a dog door to the garage with a soft cushion in the warmest corner.
A bowl of frozen water can't help a thirsty pet. Frozen water is not adequate to keep your animal from dehydrating. Check outdoor water bowls often when it's below freezing, and break the ice or refill with water as necessary.
Outdoor dogs need more calories in the winter to produce body heat, so increase the amount you feed your pet. On the other hand, indoor dogs and cats may get less exercise in the cold months, and will need fewer calories to avoid weight gain.
Chemicals used to melt snow on sidewalks can irritate pets' paws, so you may need to wipe them with a wet cloth after an outing. Dogs outside in the snow may need the ice between their paw pads removed.
Antifreeze tastes good to pets, but it is a deadly poison. The most likely source of the poison is radiator drainage spots in your garage, which should be flushed with water immediately.
A cat may crawl up under your car seeking shelter and warmth near the engine. It may get caught in the fan and seriously injured when the engine starts. Open the hood of your car or slap it noisily with your hand before starting the engine on cold days to startle any animal sleeping there.
- Provided by the American Humane Association
Oshkosh City Ordinance as it pertains to pets kept outdoors, plus a few others that may bear reminding:
SECTION 6-7 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
(A) Every owner or person responsible shall provide animals with a sufficient supply of good/wholesome food and potable water to maintain health.
(B) No person shall confine and/or allow animals to remain outside during adverse weather conditions constituting a health hazard to such animal.
(1) Sufficient shade by natural or artificial source shall be provided to protect the animal from direct sunlight.
(2) Natural or artificial shelter appropriate to the local climatic conditions shall be provided as necessary.
(C) Every owner and/or person in charge or control of any animal which is kept outdoors, or in an unheated enclosure, shall provide such animal with shelter and bedding as prescribed in this section as a minimum.
(1) The housing facilities shall be structurally sound, moisture proof and maintained in good repair.
(2) Enclosures shall be constructed and maintained to provide sufficient space to allow each animal adequate freedom of movement and the retention of body heat.
(3) A solid floor raised at least 2" off the ground.
(4) An entrance covered by a self-closing swinging covering, or an L-shaped entrance to prevent the wind from blowing directly into the house.
(5) A sufficient quantity of suitable clean bedding material, to provide insulation and protection against the cold and dampness and promote the retention of body heat.
(6) During the months of May through September, inclusive, paragraphs 5 and 6 above may be suspended.
(D) Every owner that houses or confines an animal in a pen or enclosure shall keep and maintain such pen or enclosure in a clean, sanitary and odor free condition.
(E) No person may abandon or neglect any animal.
(F) No person shall kick, beat, cruelly ill treat, torment, overload, overwork, or otherwise abuse any animal.
(G) No person may cause or allow an animal to be placed or confined in a motor vehicle under such conditions or for such a period of time, without adequate ventilation, as to endanger the health or well being of such animal due to temperature, humidity, lack of food or drink, or such other conditions as may be reasonably expected to cause suffering, disability or death.
(H) No person may intentionally instigate, promote, aid or abet as a principal, agent or employee, or participate in the earnings from, or intentionally maintain or allow any place to be used for a cockfight, dog fight, bullfight or other fight between the same or different kinds of animals or between an animal and a person (951.08).
(I) No theatrical exhibit or act shall be held in which animals are forced or encouraged to perform through the use of chemical, electrical or mechanical devises. (951.07)
(J) The performance of any act prohibited by this section, or the non-performance of any act required by it, shall be deemed cruelty to animals and subject to the provisions of sections 951.15 and 951.16 Wis. Stats. adopted herein. Impoundment of animals under this section shall be as prescribed in section 6-18 of this municipal code.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 3:37 PM
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