With the new year upon us, Americans can expect to encounter some of the coldest months throughout the year. This may include bringing out your warmer clothes or purchasing new clothes that can protect you from the winter temperatures. What many people don’t realize though, is that their animals could also be struggling through the colder temperatures, without extra layers as people can do. With this in mind, let’s examine how you can help animals through the winter.
Purchase Animal Clothing
While animal sweaters may seem silly, they can help animals, especially those with shorter hair to get through the winter. When taking dogs outside, make sure to put a sweater on your dog, so they have additional protection from the weather. For those who have animals that will not wear an animal sweater, ensure that the inside temperature in your home is reasonable, so your animals can stay warm.
In addition to animal sweaters, purchase either socks or shoes for your dog to wear outside. This will not only help keep their paws warm in cold temperatures, but it will also protect their paws from the harmful effects of the salt that is typically used for roads and sidewalks. This reduces the risk of complications from cold weather and the risk of your dog ingesting the salt when cleaning its paws.
Adjust Your Animals Portions Accordingly
Like human beings, animals tend to burn more calories in the winter as their bodies fight to stay warm in frigid temperatures. As a result, your animals may be getting hungrier faster and eating more than normal. This means that your animals should be fed more food than in the summer, but don’t overfeed them if they are not showing signs of increased hunger.
Put Food And Water Outside For Other Animals
While the tips provided above are meant for domestic animals, it is important to remember that animals that do not have a home. If your neighborhood or area has been known to attract outdoor animals, leave a bowl of water and a bowl of food. Many animals might find that they can’t drink water from their regular source, as many bodies of water tend to freeze over in the winter.
Being aware of the effects of cold weather on animals can help them survive through the colder months. The animals will feel better knowing that they are being cared for.
Originally posted on AnatolyVanetik.com.
