A dog was found frozen solid Thursday on the porch of a home in Toledo. Animal cruelty investigators are searching for the owner, but this horrific story is prompting local officials to issue an important warning for pet owners.
“It’s just so extremely sad because it would be very easy to avoid,” said Sharon Harvey, President and CEO of the Cleveland Animal Protective League.
It was a 3-year-old dog found frozen to death on a porch in Toledo Thursday. Temperatures while she was left out were in the single digits. Inside, a four year old dog was found shivering and severely malnourished.
“It is not only an assumption that you should bring an animal in if the weather gets extreme, it’s the law,” said Harvey.
“The level of care that they have to provide is different when the weather gets this extreme,” she said.
Most often, it is dogs that are left out in the cold. Harvey says the care dogs need in the winter is more than any other time of the year. They require more food and water, in addition to the shelter and warmth they need to survive.
Though a horrific case like the one out of Toledo is rare, Harvey says abuse like this happens more than we may think.
“The reality is, what is frequent, is there are a lot of animals out there, right now that are suffering, that are uncomfortable, that need to be brought in,” she said.
If you see an animal in distress from the cold, don't attempt to take care of it yourself, you should call your local humane society or the police.
