Extreme cold in Canada and how to keep your dogs, cats and other pets safe

We know how to protect ourselves from the cold – but what about our furry friends?

The extreme cold can be very dangerous for cats, dogs, birds, squirrels and more.

The SPCA advises keeping dog walks much shorter. They suggest using interactive toys to keep canines stimulated indoors.

“Fifteen minutes of enrichment with these equal one hour of physical activity, so it’s a really, really great way,” said Montreal SPCA executive director Laurence Massé.

SPCA staff regularly encounter cats suffering from frost bite, either on their ears or tails.

“Eventually, unfortunately, the part that has been frostbitten falls off,” said SPCA veterinary technician Jennifer Heller.

The SPCA also says too many people are surrendering smaller critters like rabbits right outside the door of the animal shelter, leaving them in boxes fully exposed to the cold.

They’re offering tips on how to help animals stay safe from the deep freeze, and University of Alberta biological sciences professor Colleen Cassidy St. Clair explains how birds and squirrels are able to survive the coldest days of the winter.

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