From The Publisher

The extreme cold has just hit us square in the mouth.

The temperatures plummeted into the single digits and it felt like we were below zero with the wind chill.

All of us reached deep into our closets for our warmest coats.

We built cozy fires in our fireplaces and our heaters have not stopped running.

We may have even dressed our beds with grandma’s hand-made quilts. Thank you to grandmothers everywhere for those acts of generosity.

And as much as we are sensitive to the severe cold so are our pets.

The following tips are offered by Huntsville Animal Services to keep our pets and livestock safe during the winter.

• Keep pets inside. Pets that normally live outdoors should have draft-free shelter to protect them from the wind and rain. Insulated shelter is preferable, or place pets in the garage during freezing temperatures.

• Pets need more food during cold periods of the year. Assure pets have fresh water in plastic bowls, not metal. A dog or cat’s tongue can stick to metal in very cold temperatures.

• Anti-freeze is a deadly poison to pets and children. Assure any spillage is cleaned up so pets do not lick it up.

• After your pet has been outdoors for their routine walk, wipe its paws so that the salt and chemicals used to melt snow and ice do not irritate the pads.

• Assure horses and other livestock have access to a barn or three-sided run-in for shelter from the wind and rain. They should have fresh water, not frozen.

• Blanket horses, especially horses that have been shaved, during extreme cold weather.

The Huntsville Animal Services also ask you to please call 256-883-3788 to report animal abuse or cruelty. You can also call the City of Madison Animal Control at 256-772-7190.

Let us all follow these suggestions and keep our family members, especially the furry ones warm and safe this winter season.