OMAHA, Nebraska - It is another cold night for the Omaha metro area and pet owners need to take extra precaution to protect their animals.
Nebraska Humane Society spokesperson Pam Wiese tells KFAB Radio News it is always best to bring your outdoor pet inside when it is this cold. If that isn't possible they need to have a well-insulated dog house.
Wiese says, "It needs to be big enough for the dog to do a quick turn-around and curl up in. It needs to be close enough to hold their body heat in but big enough so they can get completely inside. It needs a flap over the opening so there is no wind coming in. Some insulation, get them off the ground. Get them on something that isn't going to freeze into a block of ice if it gets wet like a blanket. Use straw or hay to get them off the ground."
Wiese says dogs need calories to burn in cold weather so they need plenty of food and unfrozen water. They need the water to help process the food to stay warm. Your best bet is to use a heated water bowl and check it often to make sure it is full.
For those with indoor pets let outside, Wiese suggests you set a timer for 10 minutes so you accidently don't forget and leave them out too long.
Officers with the Nebraska Humane Society will answer calls for animal checks. Wiese it isn't a bad thing if a neighbor calls about your dog as they are just making sure it is okay. She says, "it is always best to err on the side of caution. Animal Control will come and check and if there is no problem they will leave. They will not cite you for having your dog outside if he is not in distress. It is always good to check on those guys and so we do just to make sure that we don't miss something."