Keep your Pets Safe in Cold Temperatures

Pet owners should exercise caution when exposing pets to extreme weather.

Extreme cold temperatures are expected in the Washington Metropolitan area this February weekend. With the temperatures dropping below freezing, the Prince George’s County Animal Services and Adoption Center (ASFAC) requires pet owners to keep their pets indoors.

Keeping your pets inside during cold weather, even if they’re considered cold-weather animals, will prevent serious threats to your four-legged family member’s health. When you take them out for a walk or the potty, remember to exercise caution to their exposure to cold temperatures.

County law requires the following:

• All domestic animals except livestock are prohibited from being outdoors when the effective outdoor wind chill index is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
  If outdoor cats are in your area, bang loudly on your car hood before starting the engine to give them a chance to escape. Cats like to seek shelter from the cold and can be under the hood of your car.
• Pets left outside without food and proper shelter is at risk of hypothermia, frostbite, and death. If you see a pet out in the cold without proper shelter, contact ASFAC at (301) 780-7200. Learn more tips to care for our animals during winter and County laws at bit.ly/coldtipsforpet.

[ Source: Prince George’s County Department of the Environment]