The weather outside is frightful

Though the calendar begs to differ, it really seems like winter, especially since we had about 4 inches of snow yesterday. (How about that thunder and lightning around 5 p.m.?)

So it's time to think about keeping your pets safe during the colder weather.

An article in the Deseret News from Salt Lake City, Utah, offers some suggestions.

"Warm-blooded mammals can't survive without adequate protection in the kind of cold weather we're going to be having," said Gene Baierschmidt, executive director of the Humane Society of Utah. "If you can't actually keep your animals in the house with the rest of your family or in a basement or garage, then please at least see that they have snug, insulated shelter away from the wind and elevated off the ground."

Baierschmidt includes farm animals in his advice, adding that horses should be brought into a barn.

Other cold-weather tips include:

• Keep cats inside.
• Older pets should never be kept outside at all, as well as young, ill or short-hair breeds.
• Don't let your dog off leash during a snowstorm; they could lose their scent and get lost.
• Spills of antifreeze, which is highly toxic to pets, should be immediately wiped up.
• Never leave your pet in the car during the winter; the car acts like a refrigerator during cold weather.