How to Protect Your Pet in Cold Weather
- Use Pet-Safe Antifreeze – Antifreeze has a sweet smell that attracts animals and can cause kidney failure and death if ingested. Use pet-safe antifreeze, dispose of old antifreeze properly, and clean up any spills immediately.
- Monitor Your Pet’s Paws and Pads – To prevent irritation from frozen surfaces, rock salt, and icemelting chemicals, clean your pet’s paws after each walk, apply petroleum jelly or pet-sized
boots, and remove any snow or ice clumps. Check your pet’s paws frequently on snowy or icy days to avoid irritation or frostbite.
- Limit Outside Time on Freezing Cold Days – On very cold days, pets require extra protection. Dog houses don’t provide enough insulation, so bring them indoors instead. Consider a sweater for short-haired, hairless, old, young, frail, or sick pets.
- Ensure Your Pet Wears Tags – During winter, searching for lost pets can be difficult and dangerous, so it’s important to put an ID tag on your pet’s collar. Tags can help reunite lost pets
with their owners faster than relying solely on microchips, as not everyone has the tools to read them.
- Protect Your Pet from Indoor Hazards – To protect pets from potential fire hazards, enclose them with a baby gate, keep kerosene heaters away, and use battery-operated flameless candles.
- Don’t Leave Your Pet in a Cold Car – The ASPCA recommends taking pets with you or leaving them at home if you’ll be away from your car for more than 10 minutes in winter, as cars can act
as refrigerators and hold in the cold.
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