In the dead of winter, pet owners should be prepared to protect their animals from the cold.

Dr. Ben Redmon, a veterinarian at By Pass Animal Clinic, recommended keeping pets inside during cold weather and said human discomfort in the cold can help determine how an animal feels in the winter.

“Our rule of thumb is that if it’s too cold for us with a light jacket, it’s probably too cold for them,” he said.

However, Redmon said some dogs, like huskies, are more resistant to the cold and suggested dog owners reach out to a veterinarian to learn what sort of temperatures their dog can handle.

“I would really encourage everyone to talk to their veterinarians about that,” he said.

Among cats and dogs, animals that are elderly or still growing frequently can’t regulate their body heat as effectively as other animals, making them especially vulnerable during the winter, Redmon said. “They are much more susceptible to hypothermia,” he said.

Even if animals cannot be brought into the home, Redmon said they should be brought into some sort of shelter with a heat source, provided it doesn’t present a risk of fire.

The high temperatures for each day through at least Friday are expected to be below freezing, with lows Wednesday and Thursday at 9 and 11, respectively, according to Erin Rau, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Louisville.

That is much colder than normal for early January, with the range tending to fall between roughly 27 and 45 degrees, she said.

Hildreth Adoption Center Manager Leah Lawrence also suggested keeping pets inside.

“The key is keeping them dry and out of the wind,” she said. “That’s the most important thing.”

If animals can’t be brought into the house, Lawrence recommended using some kind of shelter outfitted with ways to keep the animals warm like thermal blankets and dry straw.

The Bowling Green/Warren County Humane Society currently accepts donations of straw and gives out straw to anyone who may need it to make a shelter for pets or stray animals near their property, she said.

Lawrence said anyone interested in the straw can call the Humane Society and arrange to have some delivered to them.

While taking an animal outside may be necessary when the temperature is below freezing, Lawrence recommends greatly limiting that outdoor time.

“Most dogs like to get out in the snow a little bit,” she said. “Fifteen to 20 minutes is about all we recommend.”