Whipping Wind and Freezing Temps

Good evening! Today has been so cold, but at least it was above freezing. (It's 14 degrees right now.) Tomorrow won't be so lucky, it's going to have a wind chill of -3! I think the weather forgot this is Georgia, it's not supposed to be that cold here. I will take it and not complain though because it just gives me more of a reason to cuddle with my husband on the couch while we watch Netflix on our Google Chrome Cast. It's been a pretty good day off of work, and tomorrow I only work 4 hours. Yeah, sometimes part-time totally sucks, but on a day where the high is 31, I'll take 4 hours! 

With the weather being so cold, my heart hurts for all the animals stuck out in these freezing temps. Shelters and churches and schools open their doors for the homeless or those without heat during nights this cold, but the poor helpless animals don't have that. They're left to freeze, with no one to help them. I know I've been guilty of this in the past before I understood that if it's too cold for me, it's too cold for them. The wild/feral animals have a better knack at knowing how to keep warm than the animals who are lost, are tied up, or have owners who let them live outside. 

We have an outdoor cat named Kirby, he's really sick, and nearing the end of his life. He lives outside, but we bring him inside the house regularly and give him extra food during nights like this. If we had a litter box, he would be inside with us, but as it stands, we don't, so we have a huge, fluffy comforter on our glider on our porch that he wraps himself in. He lets us know when he wants to come in, and if we're not asleep yet, he comes in and stays with us for a long while. 

My heart just goes out to all animals, but especially those who don't have anyone looking out for their best interest, the ones tied up without even a doghouse to hide from the wind in. My parents have an outside dog, she's a pit bull, she stays tied up, but she can go 30 feet in any direction. Then she has a dog house with a heating light and bedding that keeps her body heat in it. As far as outside dogs go, she has it made. I can't imagine living outdoors in the freezing cold, with your body constantly shivering to try to keep you warm. It seems unbearable. The animals who are lost or abandoned don't stand much of a chance at surviving outdoors when the weather gets bad. 

If you see a stray and you know the weather is bad or about to get bad, then call the animal control or take them in yourself. I know taking one in is a lot to ask, but at least they won't get put to sleep, at
least you're giving them a fighting chance. You don't have to take them in permanently, post them on the Internet "Found dog/cat on such and such road." Someone will either claim them or want to take them in themselves. I know this is common sense, but sometimes a nice little reminder is necessary, especially during bad weather. 

So many animals don't have someone speaking up for them, so just consider me their spokesperson or guardian angel.

XoXo,

Tia

These are 3'of my 9 animals. The other 6 are 5 fish and a hamster. :-)

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