PEORIA, Ill. – Furry friends will need some help from their human companions during the snow, wind, and cold from this week’s winter storm.
Peoria Humane Society’s Kitty Yanko provided tips on WMBD’s Greg and Dan Show to stay warm in case they need to go outside.
Yanko said no matter what size they are, the amount of fur makes a difference.
“If you have a chihuahua that has short hair, or you even have a great dane,” Yanko said. “This is a difference in size. Great danes are big dogs, but they don’t have much hair.”
Yanko said one way to protect pets that may have to go outside is to keep them in small spaces that are protected from the elements. She adds that wide open spaces with lots of wind will make animal colder faster.
In addition, when pets come back inside, Yanko said people should check their paws and paw pads.
“Just watch to make sure that they’re not getting chapped. Or if they get cut, you gotta wash between the toes,” Yanko said. “There’s a lot of things to look for. Those little tiny snowballs that get stuck in there, remove those when your dog comes in because that can cause pain in the foot area.”
Yanko even suggests feeding pets a little bit more food in the cold to burn more calories to keep them warmer a little bit longer.
