Advice to protect pets from the cold

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - During the extremely cold temperatures that Albuquerque has been experiencing lately, it's a good time to remind pet owners that you should protect your animal as much as you can from the cold.

Jim Ludwig from Albuquerque Animal Welfare Services said they advise pet owners that dogs and cats should be kept indoors during the really cold temperatures. The animals can go out for exercise, but you don't want them to suffer from the below freezing wind chills. If your pet has a dog house, you want to make sure it's a dry, draft free shelter for the dog to sit down in.

You also want to keep in mind that your pet needs more food during the winter, the cold is exhausting for animals. Make sure the water is fresh and unfrozen and it's better to use plastic food and water bowls because their tongue can stick to the plate.

"It doesn't matter if the pet is covered in fur, it's too cold for anyone to spend the night outdoors," says Dawn Glass from Animal Humane New Mexico.

If you have your car outside, it might be a good idea to bang on the hood or make some sort of noise to move animals from inside or under car.

Another thing to look out for, make sure you keep your anti-freeze away from your pets it is deadly.