Lincoln Animal Control is urging pet owners to get your animals inside during this brutal cold spell.
Manager Steve Beal tells KLIN News they have received 3 or 4 calls this week that primarily dogs were left outside without adequate food, shelter or water. Beal says, “We will get more of those. Most of those are related to having dogs outside without adequate shelter, or basically a dog house with straw or a blanket inside. Having a water supply that isn’t frozen and adequate food.”
Beal says people are starting to get the message. Animal Control has kept track of numbers over recent years of complaints. Between September and December of 2018, they received 227 calls to investigate animal neglect. In 2020 during that same time period, numbers dropped to 147. Those are all neglect cases.
Another warning for dog and cat owners. Beal says just because they have pads on their feet doesn’t mean they aren’t susceptible to frost bite. He says, “Having your pet outside on concrete or anything that will make them more susceptible to frostbite on their feet is something we want people to watch out for too. It is a time issue. The longer you have exposed skin the more you risk frost bite. The same goes for animals.”
Beal says they do get more calls during the summer with dogs being left in hot cars than left outside in the cold.
If you are concerned about an animal that is outside, give Animal Control a call at 402-441-7900.