With winter well underway, we’ve all been feeling a bit colder. We’ve been rushing home after work to turn on the heater, make a hot drink and snuggle up with our furry friends. But just as we can’t stand the frostbitten mornings, neither can our furry friends.

So, to help keep both you and your pets warm, RSPCA NSW Chief Veterinarian Dr Liz Arnott shares her five top tips to help care for your pets for this winter.

• Stay Indoors

While some of our pets may have a fur coat, it’s not the best idea to leave them outside in the freezing cold for too long. Just like us, cats and dogs can become hypothermic, and therefore would appreciate the nice warmth inside our homes. Just make sure you pet proof your home to prevent any accidents, like the dog knocking over the heater onto a pile of clothes.

• Paw Protection

Winter is the perfect time to buy some adorable little booties to protect your dogs’ paws. It will help prevent freezing pathways and snow from damaging them. But, if your dog is a bit fussy and keeps taking off the booties, you can always just shorten the walk.

• Water Sources

No one wants their pet to go thirsty. That’s why if your pet gets their water from outside, you might need to check if it’s frozen or not. This is especially important for horses, whose water troughs tend to be outside.

• Warm Cars

Just like us, pets are always looking for a place to get warm. But sometimes, this warm place comes in the form of a car engine. So, to avoid any unpleasant accidents, bang on your bonnet before you start the engine to scare any creatures hiding below.

• Cold Cars

Being in Australia, we all know not to leave our pets in our cars in summer. But did you know cars in winter can be just as bad? Just as we don’t want our dogs to become hypothermic by leaving them outside for too long, we don’t want them to become hypothermic in the backseat of icy cold cars. So, if you do need to leave your pet in the car this winter, make sure there’s a human supervising them.

For more information, or to adopt a pet in the Canberra region, visit www.rspca-act.org.au/adopt-pet.

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