It’s bitterly cold in St. Louis, and more than 200,000 homes are without power after a recent ice storm. The governor has declared a state of emergency, the National Guard has been called in to help, and utility crews are here from across the country.

What about our pets? The Humane Society of Missouri has opened an Emergency Heating Center in St. Louis for pets whose owners are without power and do not have safe and warm lodging for their pets.

Five months ago, the Humane Society of Missouri opened a Cooling Center for pets. Temperatures soared to more than 100 degrees F and over 500,000 homes, many with pets, were without power.

These emergency shelters allow residents to take care of themselves as well. Many residents stated they would not go to a shelter unless their pets were taken care of.

If you need to take your pet to an emergency shelter:

• You may need proof of vaccinations. If you cannot locate these records, don’t give up. Ask the emergency shelter if your vet can fax the records or confirm vaccination over the phone. 
• Your pet should have a collar with current identification.
• Ask the shelter if they would like you to bring your pet’s crate. They may be very short on kennel space. 

What can you do to help?

• Encourage your area shelters to open similar emergency shelters if the need arises. Propose the idea now, before a crisis arises.
• Volunteer to assist shelter workers. They will need help to clean runs and walk dogs.
• Help get the word out to people and dogs in need.
• Are you in a dog club? Why not set up a program to take care of members’ pets if an emergency occurs? Those who are unaffected could house pets for members who are in need. 

Here are some cold weather pet tips from the Humane Society of Missouri.

In pools across the country, end-of-season dog swims are being held to benefit shelters, humane societies, dog parks, and pro-animal legislation.

In St. Louis, dogs and their owners attended pool parties that began in early August and continued through Labor Day. St. Louis’ U City pool party celebrated it’s fourth year and welcomed more then 300 dogs and their owners into the water. (See the “Snouts in Your Town” video in Windows Media Format or Quick Time.)

In Pittsburgh, 300 dogs swam in Sandcastle Water Park’s wave pool, kiddie pool, and beach area. These lucky dogs were served snowcones with a choice of beef or chicken broth.

A pool party in Salt Lake City included an adoption fair, a vaccination event, and even a long jump contest.

A sense of humor abounded in the names…Bloomington Indiana’s Bryant Park pool christened the event “Drool in the Pool”. Many pools had contests and games for the dogs.

Most pools provided fresh water and some provided shade for the dogs. Veterinarians and humane society officials were on hand in some locations. Lifeguards were present when the owners were allowed to swim with their dogs.

The average cost of a day at the pool was a bargain at $5-$10.

In general, the rules were:

• No aggressive dogs
• No dogs that are in heat
• Dogs must wear ID and rabies tags
• Dogs must be leashed while not swimming.
• Owners must clean up after their dogs.

Check your local paper and mark your calendar for next summer’s swims!

Americans spend billions of dollars on their pets every year. Toys are a major player in the pet market. There are some budget buys, though. How about browsing the dollar stores for inexpensive toys for your dog?

In the pet section, I found tennis balls in various sizes, and name brand chew ropes. There are also lightweight latex squeaky toys that would be suitable only for non-chewers. Be mindful of your dog’s habits and decide what would be a suitable toy.

In the children’s toy section, I found a funny-feeling porcupine ball that I selected as a supervised toy. I wanted Dash to experience that funny, tickly feeling of this toy. I bought some water toys…some “water bombs”, a package of foam rubber balls covered in fabric that soak up water. Dash loves these in his wading pool. They also had long, flexible foam “noodles” for the pool which would have many uses for fun games and training.

Petco had a the “Squirt Ball” in their clearance aisle this summer that was a big hit with Dash. It’s a flexible blue ball you fill with water. When the dog bites the filled ball, it squirts water through tiny holes. Fun!

You can make your own tug/chew toy with a length of rope you braid and twist and tie into just the right size for your dog. Cotton rope would be gentler to your dog’s mouth than polypropylene. Alternatively, you could use old, washed tee shirts or blue jeans if you’re not worried about the dog thinking your clothes are chew toys. Your choice.

Do you need some things to do inside when it’s really hot outside? It’s tough to burn mental and physical energy, keep your dog learning, and have fun indoors while staying cool! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Check out Sue Ailsby’s Training Levels. Sue provides many exercises you can train in the comfort of your livingroom. The Training Levels aren’t aligned with any one dogsport. Instead, they help your dog gain confidence, and give her the building blocks she needs to work, engage in dog sports, and be a great companion.

• Play hide and seek (you hide a toy or treat for the dog to find). This fun game encourages nose-work.

• Play hide and seek (you hide). Leave your dog on a sit or downstay, or a wait command, while you leave the room and hide. When you’re ready, release your dog and encourage them to find you (don’t use your formal recall command). This is great for reinforcing stays or waits, self control, and enthusiastic recalls.

Frozen water bottles are one way to help cool a dog crate. I’ve been using them this summer to further cool my dog’s crate in my (air-conditioned) car. Select heavy plastic drink bottles; one liter bottles are a good size. Fill the bottle nearly to the top and freeze solid. Tie these bottles securely to the back or sides of the crate, especially if the crate will be in your car. Left loose, they could seriously injure your dog if you stopped suddenly or had an accident.

I would stay away from the rectangular plastic “ice substitutes” that are meant to be frozen and then placed in a cooler to keep food cold. If your dog is a chewer, the shape and texture of these packs would probably be appealing. While they often say “non-toxic” on the label, I wouldn’t want my dog ingesting that undisclosed liquid.

As always, please consider your dog and the situation. Is your dog a dedicated chewer? Is he addicted to empty soda bottles? You may want to find another way to keep him cool, or use the frozen water bottles with close supervision.