PORTLAND -- Remember to take good care of your pets during these sub-freezing temperatures and keep an eye out for any strays or abused animals. One cat used one of his nine lives in Portland today, but the rest were spared. The cat doesn’t have a name yet, but you might call him ‘Lucky’ – he was found Tuesday night in Portland, abandoned in a pet carrier, clinging to life in the cold.
The cat is expected to be okay and available for adoption soon. But Animal Control Officer Karen Perruccio is reminding neighbors to be more alert to pets in this extremely cold weather.
Karen says “You might let your dog out and forget you let him out and they're out there and it's cold, especially the other day when it's windy, you gotta be cautious about when you let your animal out there. I don't even let these guys out there for long.”
Ginny Weblow and her dog Henry were out for a quick walk this afternoon. She says Henry was in the snow in the backyard the other day and started limping. “His paws had gotten frozen in about 30 seconds so I had to go out and pick him up and take him inside.”
Ginny also says she looks out for snow- and ice-melt materials on the sidewalks, and always washes Henry’s paws when he comes insided. Good advice as winter bears down, and animals of all types try to keep up.