Angela Dodson with Pups in Peril admitted she got a little hot under the collar looking at Facebook pictures of dogs chained outside in the cold.

“Their water bowls were frozen and they don’t have adequate shelter,” she said. “The police say they can’t do anything if the dog has adequate shelter. The question is what is adequate shelter? It can be defined as a lean-to piece of board. Dogs that live in Southeast Texas are not used to the cold climate.”

Dodson said she recently watched a YouTube video in which a veterinarian did an experiment to see how cold it got inside of an igloo type doghouse. Though he was wearing many layers of clothing, he said he stayed cold as the temperature remained at 20 degrees. His condensation from breathing even froze to the top of the doghouse.

Some alternatives for pet owners may be to house their dogs in a garage, but a drawback is concrete floor can get cold. Dodson said a space heater may be safe enough, provided that it shuts off when it’s knocked over.

Another option is housing them in a laundry room or in an extra bathroom.

Feral cats, likewise, can be sheltered in a cathouse made out of a cooler. Just cut a hole inside the cooler and insulate it.

“It’s better than nothing,” she said. “If it’s too hot for you to walk around barefooted it’s too hot for them. If it’s too cold to go outside without your coat it’s too cold for them. Find a warm spot for your animals.

“Just because they have fur doesn’t mean they’re acclimated to the cold. They’re not used to it.”

The Pups in Peril Facebook page also had some helpful information on caring for dogs in cold weather.

For instance, it only takes minutes for dogs to get hypothermia and frostbite.

Dogs cannot handle being left outside in temperatures below freezing for more than a few minutes without it causing damage to their bodies, especially if they are just sitting or standing on the cold, hard ground. They don’t wear shoes and heat escapes through their feet.

Older, short-haired and smaller dogs have a higher risk of getting hypothermia and frostbite.

Signs that a dog is too cold:

• Barking/crying to come inside
• Ears/feet are cold to the touch
• Shivering
• Low body temperature (below 95 degrees)
• Death
• Weak pulse
• Lethargy
• Coma

Slowly warm up a dog that has been outside too long by wrapping it in blankets. Do not warm them up too fast or their body will go into shock.

If a dog is barking or crying excessively and its ears and feet are cold, then it’s time to let them in. If it’s too cold for you to be outside, then it’s too cold for your dogs.

Animal cruelty is a crime in all 50 states.