ROANOKE, Va. – The dangerously cold weather isn’t just a concern for humans; it’s also a threat to pets. Roanoke Animal Control has reported a significant increase in calls about animals being left outside in the cold.
“If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pets,” is the message from Roanoke’s animal warden unit regarding leaving animals out in the cold. William Drake, lieutenant of the animal warden unit, emphasized the importance of providing adequate care for pets. “If it’s between… if it’s above 85 degrees or below 32 degrees you are required to provide adequate care or shelter for your pets,” he said.
Since the beginning of January, there have been 90 service calls related to pets being tethered or left out in the cold for extended periods. Two animals have been seized and taken to the Roanoke Center for Animal Care and Protection for veterinary checks.
“It could be anybody right, it could be a neighbor, it could be someone driving down the road, it could be one of our animal wardens right, so they go out and patrol and if they stop and see an animal that’s outside they are gonna create a call,” Drake explained.
Once a warning is issued to pet owners, the animal warden unit returns within 24 hours to ensure compliance. “And they refuse to do so or we return back and they are back outside again we are going to go ahead and issue the summons to get them in compliance if they can’t bring the dog in and provide adequate care then we are going to make the determination whether the dog is in danger or needs to be seized,” Drake added.
Failure to comply can lead to criminal charges. “A class 4 misdemeanor is up to a 250 dollar fine so subsequent offenses to this can go up to a class 2 misdemeanor but it breaks down by the subsection, whether they aren’t providing food and shelter you know… it just depends on the case,” Drake noted.
Officials urge residents to call 911 if they see an animal left out in the cold. Either a patrol officer or an animal warden will respond to the situation.