Before the flurries start to fly, be sure to send out press releases to your local media members informing your community of the hazards many pets face from the cold weather.

The colder winter months are a beautiful season with festive holidays. But, they also produce some new cold weather and holiday hazards for animals. Take the opportunity to remind people in your area to properly care for their companion animals during this time. Send out a press release to your local media members urging citizens to avoid these hidden dangers and help keep their pets safe. Help your community members be better pet owners by giving them the knowledge they need to properly care for their animals. Use the press release template to help craft a professional looking release.

Here are just a few winter hazards to remind people about:

• Older style antifreeze with Ethylene glycol (many new versions avoid the ‘tasty’ ethylene glycol that was so poisonous, and use the Propylene glycol additive to make it less enticing)
• De-icer salts used on roads and sidewalks(Be sure to wipe paws, legs and bellies of animals after they’ve been outside.)
• Other chemicals on roadways
• knock on their car’s hood prior to starting it to make sure no animals are inside seeking warmth and shelter
• Keep pets warm by avoiding short hair cuts, or providing sweaters. It’s also best to keep pets indoors during the cold months, since many pets can easily lose their way in the snow.
• Provide a warm place for your pets to sleep indoors, away from drafts and off cold floors.
• Closely monitor holiday decorations and foods around pets. {This could be the subject of a separate press release as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah approach.}

Remind people to keep a close eye on these items around their pets. Include contact information for the ASPCA Poison Control Center (including their phone number 888-426-4435) and the emergency call line for your local vets.

A fantastic way to get your cold weather points to the public is to ask your local weather reporter to focus on “The Three P’s” which stand for:

• Pets
• Plants
• Pipes

Encourage your weather reporter to announce the nights when the temperatures will dip below freezing or otherwise endanger any pets that would be outside. As a public service to the community, the reporter can be sure to remind the listening public about The Three P’s, and ask that they take precautionary steps that evening. This is especially important during times when the temperatures may fluctuate quickly, ranging from moderate to extreme temperatures in a matter of hours. People may not be prepared for the harsh weather, and would benefit from a reminder.