How You Can Help An Animal Left Out In The Cold
I've recently been reading articles about many cities who have extra police officers actively keeping an eye out for pets left out in the cold. The latest is St. Louis. Pet owners are fined and pets are taken somewhere safe. It made me think about our own area and policies, so I emailed St. Cloud Police Chief Anderson.
His reply was prompt and he forwarded my email to the right people, who also quickly emailed me. This is part of that email:
Thanks for your email in regard to cold weather and animals left outside. The good news is that St. Cloud does actively remove animals found in the cold without proper shelter. In response to your email, we are putting together a public service announcement in regard to this.
Please share with your listeners that we do investigate complaints promptly. Our website gives phone numbers and guidance on many animal control issues at http://ci.stcloud.mn.us/389/Animal-Control
So now it's up to us. We need to be a voice for those who can't speak for themselves. If you see an animal left out in the cold, or neglected or abused in any other way, PLEASE call the authorities. 320-650-3164 If you have an emergency, call 911.
The Tri-County Humane Society also has a list of phone numbers to call in your area.