Across the nation, temperatures are plunging in regions not prone to cold extremes. Unfortunately, in these areas, dogs who are left outdoors are suffering, and worse.
On Wednesday night, a Labrador retriever mix nearly froze to death in Memphis, Tenn. Just days prior to that, another dog was found frozen to the ground in the same city.
On Tuesday, a young boxer was found near death in Arizona.
That dog, named "Blaze," was discovered in a cold-induced coma and he was not able to overcome the damage done to his body.
According to Boxer Luv Rescue, the organization which desperately tried to save Blaze, the dog's body temperature was just 88 degrees when he was rushed to a veterinarian for care.
Though everything possible was done to save Blaze's life, the inevitable happened and he died.
These tragic cases are a painful reminder that dogs suffer in the cold temperatures, just like people do. Just because they are "animals," does not mean that being outside, no matter what the temperature, is okay.
If you see a dog who is tethered outside, without adequate shelter, please reach out to the dog's owner to see if alternate accommodations can be made. If that route is not effective, contact the local animal control.
The action you take may save a life.
If you would like to continue receiving the latest dog related news, tips and advice, please click the "Subscribe" icon which is located at the bottom of this column. It is free and anonymous to sign up
For updates and further discussion, follow the National Dog News Examiner on Facebook and Twitter!
I am human, if you see a typo, please let me know. Questions, comments or story ideas can be emailed to Eims1@live.com.
Comments