Every dog deserves a comfy bed on a cold winter's night.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen is urging animal owners to take special care of their pets now that winter has arrived.
With temperatures already falling below zero in some parts of the country, it was important to make sure animals were safe from the cold and wet.
Eighteen per cent
of animal welfare complaints reported to the SPCA over winter involved shelter-related issues, from inadequate to none at all, most commonly involving dogs, followed by goats and horses.
"Make sure your pet has somewhere warm to curl up, don't leave animals out in the cold, and have some rainy day enrichment activities ready to go," Midgen said.
"Pay special attention to your older pets, as they can find the cold weather more of a challenge, especially those with arthritis. Remember, they may find it difficult to walk on slippery surfaces, and make sure they have plenty of surface padding when sitting on their arthritic joints."
