Keeping Pets Safe From Cold is the Law - KIMA CBS 29

YAKIMA, Wash - In light of the extremely cold weather in our area, if you're not protecting your pets from the frigid conditions, you could be breaking the law.

State law requires pet owners to provide animals with necessary shelter and failure to do so is a misdemeanor.

Yakima's Animal Control unit investigates any suspicion of animal neglect and if it's serious it could go to the prosecutor's office.

However, Tony Doan, the supervising code inspector for the City of Yakima tells Action News, they’ll try to get a pet owner to fix their mistake and learn from it first.

"That's the first lens we want to look through, if it has to go further than that, that's obviously an unfortunate thing, but that's why our municipal codes are there, we can enforce those as needed," Doan said.

The sheriff's office saying in single digit temps dogs can't be left alone outside.

Kelli Peal with the human society says simply throwing some blankets in a kennel isn't enough to keep a pet safe.

"Ideally you would have a doghouse or a cathouse they can get into and fill it with straw. Do not put a bunch of blankets in it thinking that will keep them warm. Blankets draw moisture and that moisture actually freezes and makes your animal colder," Peal said.

Yakima code enforcement says if you know that someone is consistently not protecting their pet from the cold you can give them a call and they'll look into it.

For information please contact them by going to the website below.

www.yakimawa.gov/services/animal-control

source: https://kimatv.com/news/local/keeping-pets-safe-from-cold-is-the-law

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