Houston SPCA shares winter pet safety tips

The Houston SPCA offers the following advice to help pet owners keep their animals safe during the winter:

Pets need approved proper shelter for animals, whether they live outside or inside. Indoor pets should have a bed or someplace warm and safe to stay, and outdoor pets should have some kind of insulated and wind-resistant shelter that is off the ground.

Pets should be given fresh food and water every day. Pets living outside need between 25 and 50 percent more calories than those inside to help keep them warm.

Cars can become refrigerators during the winter, and pets should never be left inside them unattended.

Cats should be keep inside during the winter. The cold can cause them harm, and often cats will sleep under a car hood to stay warm, where they can be injured or killed.

For short-haired dogs, sweaters can be used to help them stay warm. Dogs should never be shaved during the winter.

Both dogs and cats can be attracted to the smell and taste of anti-freeze. If they manage to ingest some, it will likely cause them to die or become seriously ill.

For more information, call 713-869-7722, ext. 138.