Courtesy/APNMAPNM News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The cold months have arrived, and animals left outside are at risk of injury or death.
A high percentage of calls to the Animal Protection of New Mexico (APNM) Animal Cruelty Hotline concern animals outside in the cold as the temperatures drop.
It is a common misconception that dogs and cats will not feel cold because of their fur. Unlike wildlife, most domestic animals are not well-equipped for frigid temperatures. If you are cold, your companion animal is cold.
Animal Protection of New Mexico’s Cruelty Case Manager, Alan Edmonds, cautions, “Cold can be dangerous to our animal companions. Noses and other areas of exposed skin can sustain permanent damage, and the combination of cold and wind chill puts animals at risk of hypothermia, frostbite and even freezing to death.
Younger, older, and shorthaired animals are particularly vulnerable, but any animal can suffer from temperatures uncomfortable to people. In extreme conditions, even insulated dog houses can be ineffective.”
How can concerned members of the public help?
When you are warm and snug for the holidays, remember that some animals may not be so lucky. If you see an animal suffering out in the cold, don’t assume someone will take care of them. It’s up to you to alert the authorities. You might save a life.
Call your local animal welfare department or Animal Protection of New Mexico’s Animal Cruelty Hotline at 877-5-HUMANE, or email our Animal Cruelty Case Manager at alan@apnm.org.
Support the APNM Straw Fund
Animal Protection of New Mexico’s Straw Fund ensures the availability of insulating straw as needed or requested for any backyard doghouse or outdoor shelter for companion animals within Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, Santa Fe/Santa Fe County, and Gallup/McKinley County through our partnership with these agencies:
City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department
Bernalillo County Animal Care Services
City of Santa Fe Animal Services Division
Santa Fe County Animal Control Department
McKinley County Humane Society
