Minnesota State Statutes Regarding Outdoor Dogs - Outdoor Heated Cat Houses
1. Although this may sound obvious, it is essential to make sure your pet is healthy. A healthy pet will be able to withstand the effects of winter more readily. Young, elderly or ailing pets are much less able to adapt to the colder temperatures, and as a result, we need to take special care to ensure their safety.
We enclosed one other area. On the back steps landing there is bench area with just enough space for one box. We put a sheet of wood over the benches to form a roof, put a tarp over the sheet of wood and secured it to the floor with cement blocks and then put heavy duty plastic all around the railing to keep out the wind and snow.
2. Made the enclosure.
3. The dog house floor must be 2 inches above the ground. Standing water or mud do not qualify as ground. If the house stands in water or mud, or leans into water or mud, then it must be relocated to a dry spot, where the entire floor of the house will be 2 inches above dry ground.
4. Potential dehydration is a concern throughout the year. So a constant supply of clean, unfrozen water is very important. The water source should be protected from the elements or heated to prevent freezing. Low wattage heated dog bowls work very well as a solution in making certain unfrozen water is always available.
6. Carefully examine your pet everyday to make sure they are not showing any signs of stress from the cold. Don't forget about their paws. Exposure to the winter cold can leave paws chapped and tender. Check the pads of their feet and the hair between their toes to make sure there is no evidence of ice balls, salt crystals or de-icing chemicals sticking to them. Massage petroleum jelly into paw pads to help protect them from these dangers.
If you must keep your dog outdoors, particularly during extreme temperatures, there is much to consider. Your local humane society will be able to assist with any specific questions you have regarding dog houses, appropriate kennel space, and State statutes. The most important thing to remember is that protecting your pet against the elements is not only humane, it is the law.
In order for your dog's outdoor shelter to be in compliance with this statute, here are the key points you need to understand:
There is a shed in the yard with an overhanging roof close to the house, which made a natural place to set up the boxes. We will be able to clear a route out for them and easily put in food and water. Any semi-protected area in your yard - against a garage, the fence etc. will help against the high winds that come with a snow storm.
Next we covered the insulated boxes in heavy duty plastic to keep them (boxes and cats) from getting wet. Large heavy duty garbage bags could be used instead.
One big purchase was made, a microwave disc that can be put under the blanket and will give heat for up to 10 hours. That's in case we get hit with some really low temperatures and the straw and hand warmers just aren't enough. It did go down to -30 C a few times last year.
Two weeks ago we had an unexpected snowstorm. The snow melted in a day but it was a wake up call. I live in an area with a lot of stray cats. We have been feeding them. Our humane society is overrun with cats and won't take them in; they will be outdoors for the winter. We decided to try and make them some kind of winter shelter. I have never built anything in my life and do not own any power tools. We used materials we could get for free (boxes from the supermarket), materials that could be bought cheaply (space (emergency) blankets, hand warmers - a buck at the dollar store), Styrofoam wrap, plastic wrap and a tarp (which we already had). We were also given 2 bales of straw. Straw is one of the best insulators but unless you live in a rural area, it can be hard to come by. Ask at your local humane society, animal rescue organizations, riding stables etc., they may know where you can get some. So this is what we did.
We enclosed one other area. On the back steps landing there is bench area with just enough space for one box. We put a sheet of wood over the benches to form a roof, put a tarp over the sheet of wood and secured it to the floor with cement blocks and then put heavy duty plastic all around the railing to keep out the wind and snow.
2. Made the enclosure.
3. The dog house floor must be 2 inches above the ground. Standing water or mud do not qualify as ground. If the house stands in water or mud, or leans into water or mud, then it must be relocated to a dry spot, where the entire floor of the house will be 2 inches above dry ground.
4. Potential dehydration is a concern throughout the year. So a constant supply of clean, unfrozen water is very important. The water source should be protected from the elements or heated to prevent freezing. Low wattage heated dog bowls work very well as a solution in making certain unfrozen water is always available.
6. Carefully examine your pet everyday to make sure they are not showing any signs of stress from the cold. Don't forget about their paws. Exposure to the winter cold can leave paws chapped and tender. Check the pads of their feet and the hair between their toes to make sure there is no evidence of ice balls, salt crystals or de-icing chemicals sticking to them. Massage petroleum jelly into paw pads to help protect them from these dangers.
If you must keep your dog outdoors, particularly during extreme temperatures, there is much to consider. Your local humane society will be able to assist with any specific questions you have regarding dog houses, appropriate kennel space, and State statutes. The most important thing to remember is that protecting your pet against the elements is not only humane, it is the law.
In order for your dog's outdoor shelter to be in compliance with this statute, here are the key points you need to understand:
There is a shed in the yard with an overhanging roof close to the house, which made a natural place to set up the boxes. We will be able to clear a route out for them and easily put in food and water. Any semi-protected area in your yard - against a garage, the fence etc. will help against the high winds that come with a snow storm.
Next we covered the insulated boxes in heavy duty plastic to keep them (boxes and cats) from getting wet. Large heavy duty garbage bags could be used instead.
One big purchase was made, a microwave disc that can be put under the blanket and will give heat for up to 10 hours. That's in case we get hit with some really low temperatures and the straw and hand warmers just aren't enough. It did go down to -30 C a few times last year.
Two weeks ago we had an unexpected snowstorm. The snow melted in a day but it was a wake up call. I live in an area with a lot of stray cats. We have been feeding them. Our humane society is overrun with cats and won't take them in; they will be outdoors for the winter. We decided to try and make them some kind of winter shelter. I have never built anything in my life and do not own any power tools. We used materials we could get for free (boxes from the supermarket), materials that could be bought cheaply (space (emergency) blankets, hand warmers - a buck at the dollar store), Styrofoam wrap, plastic wrap and a tarp (which we already had). We were also given 2 bales of straw. Straw is one of the best insulators but unless you live in a rural area, it can be hard to come by. Ask at your local humane society, animal rescue organizations, riding stables etc., they may know where you can get some. So this is what we did.