Experts Warning To Bring Pets Inside With Dangerous Temperatures Ahead

Our Oklahoma Weather Experts are tracking dangerously cold temperatures later this week, so now is the time to make sure your pets stay safe.

Cindi Sweet picked up some straw at the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals to help make warm beds for the animals that live around her house.

"I live by a pond, there's all kinds of wildlife,” said Sweet. “The little red fox, the possums, the squirrels, the bunnies, you know all of that. I just don't want them to freeze to death and die in the cold!"

This weather can become dangerous quickly for people and animals.

"But we are really wanting people to think about those pets, the shorter haired pets, like pit bull mixes that we see a lot of the time that are chained outdoors. Those are the pets that are not going to fare well,” said Erin Shackleford, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals. “Puppies, young puppies, and elderly or sick, immunocompromised dogs, are not going to fare well in this weather."

Shackleford said one of the main misconceptions people have is that animals are fine if they are left outside in a dog or cat house.

"It's a plastic shell, is all that is,” said Shackleford. “So it's absolutely doing nothing to keep them warmer, it acts as a wind block, which is great. We want those dog houses, the entrances, to be facing away from the north wind. As much as you can block the wind, the better. I think that's another misconception, is that is adequate. But it's just not when temperatures drop below freezing like that."

Shackleford recommends straw to make a bed where the animal can burrow themselves rather than using a blanket or pet bed.

"We absolutely do not recommend using dog beds, pet beds, blankets, towels, anything like that that is going to soak up moisture from the air and actually make the pet colder,” said Shackleford. “We also don't recommend people putting sweaters on pets, outdoor pets, for the same reason. It's going to soak up that outside moisture and humidity in the air and make them a lot colder."

Sweet said she is grateful for OAA’s help with taking care of the animals around her.

"I would tell everybody to get some straw and take care of your pets, and also the wildlife that don't have anybody," said Sweet.

You can also pick up straw from the OAA building at 51st and Sheridan on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you live in Bartlesville, you can pick up free straw from the Danielle Weaver Insurance Agency on W. Frank Phillips Boulevard on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.