The holiday season means more time with family, and higher chances of snow and freezing. For students with pets, this means more risk for their furrier family members that are held outdoors.

Even with fur, pets are at risk of freezing and hurt when exposed to below-zero conditions.

“It’s important to give them shelter,” Mosier said. “As long as you have some shelter and bedding lined up for them, they can withstand a lot.”

Mosier said that it is a good idea to get winter clothing if your dog (or cat, occasionally) has short hair and reacts negatively to the cold. He said to also use winter booties to protect paws when walking on icy ground.

Mosier also mentioned that dogs left outside in cold need to be left with fresh, unfrozen water, and that you may have to check for your hidden animals in unusual spots.

“It’s a good idea to hit on the hood of your car before starting them,” Mosier said. “Cats like to get up in there and sleep for warmth, but often people don’t realize they are there.”

Mosier said that feral cats sleep not only in the engine, but where the tires are as well. He said they will sleep in just about anything they can fit into.

On the Hays Veterinary Hospital website, there are several care guides regarding pet safety during the winter season.

Besides the extreme outdoor cold, keeping your dog inside has dangers as well.  If you keep your pet in the garage, keep them away from anti-freeze or any sort of ice salt, as ingestion can be extremely toxic to dogs.

“It’s more important than people think,” Mosier said. “Just cause your pet has fur doesn’t mean they can withstand anything.”