With snow on the ground and winter weather in the air, it's time to think about how to protect animals from the effects of cold weather. Maureen Harrison with Guardian Angels Pet Rescue says that it's time to keep pets out of the elements and safe from harm.
Harrison says that when the temperature starts to dip, animals need to have shelter in order to stay warm and healthy. By this, she says she means either keep your pet inside a house or any other well insulated and warm place.
"The biggest issue is an animal being left outside in the cold. That's my biggest fear when it turns cold... If they don't have sufficient shelter - and I don't mean a piece of wood put together, that's not enough."
She says that it's the feet that have the biggest problems in cold weather. While the animal might have a fur coat, paws are unprotected and in the snow during cold weather, and anything beyond -20C has the potential to do some damage.
"Imagine yourself in a pair of socks, how long are you going to last?"
She says that when someone sees an animal which might be neglected they need to go through the proper channels. Harrison says she is not able to do much herself, but she has gone through the Saskatchewan SPCA out of Saskatoon to remove an animal from a home where it is being abused.
Harrison believes that there also needs to be stricter bylaws protecting animals from the cold. She believes the current bylaw doesn't require enough insulation and protection to keep an animal safe in the cold. The current bylaw only requires a roof, which isn't nearly enough protection, especially in a Saskatchewan winter. She recommends bringing animals inside the house when the weather gets extreme, or at a minimum into a well insulated structure where the animal can effectively stay warm.
Guardian Angels Pet Rescue cares for abandoned and neglected animals, keeping them with foster families until a permanent home can be found.
"The more rescues there are, the better for the animals," Harrison says.
Anyone interested in getting involved in Guardian Angels organization should call (306)783-7771. The greatest need is for foster families for the animals. The family would keep the animal in their home and care for like it was their own pet. It requires filling out a form and an inspection of the home to ensure it's safe. Harrison notes that medical expenses are covered by Guardian Angels, and the job of fosters is to care for the animal until it is permanently adopted.
"We don't hoard, we don't try to overdo ourselves, but I do strive for more fosters so we can help more animals," she concludes.
