Ontario SPCA reminds pet owners to be cautious during extreme winter weather
With extremely cold temperatures across northeastern Ontario, the Ontario SPCA is reminding pet owners to keep a close eye on their animals when the pets are outdoors.
In particular, the SPCA said pet owners should be mindful of how long their animal is outside in cold temperatures.
"It’s really important to keep in mind that they can feel the cold just like we can,” said Kallie Milleman, spokesperson with the Ontario SPCA. "To keep them safe, we want to make sure we are limiting our time outside."
Officials said as most dog owners are aware, each dog breed responds to cold weather in different ways. Pet owners should keep that in mind.
“If you do have a smaller dog or a short-haired dog, they are going to be feeling that cold weather a little bit more than, let’s say, a dog with a thicker coat like a husky,” said Milleman.
“Maybe you have the option to let them outdoors for five to 10 minutes every couple of hours. If we’re starting to sense that they are starting to shiver or maybe they’re lifting up that paw and feeling that cold, we want to get them indoors.”
The Ontario SPCA also has other suggestions for pet owners:
- Leave pets at home: Leave your animal at home where they are warm and safe when you’re running errands. Cars cool down quickly and don’t hold in body heat, which can lead to animals suffering from cold stress, hypothermia or frostbite.
- Keep paws clean: Use a damp towel to wipe your pet’s paws and underside if they’ve walked along salted sidewalks or roads. Salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice on roads and sidewalks can irritate and burn your pet’s sensitive paws and can cause illness if ingested.
- Clean up car spills: Keep an eye out for antifreeze or other automotive leaks in your driveway. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that can be attractive to animals and can be fatal if ingested.
- Watch for cats seeking warmth under vehicle hoods: Knock on the hood of your car or sound the horn before starting the engine. Cats hiding under hoods can be injured or killed by the fan belt.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.