One day, the temperatures are in the 70s, and we’re having tornado warnings. The next day, it’s sunny, but temperatures remain in the 40s. Then, there’s the rain. I am so tired of rain jackets, umbrellas, wet feet and mud.

If I — with a temperature-controlled home, office and vehicle and access to dry clothing, shoes and bedding — am sick of this crazy weather, what must animals living outside be enduring?

I stop on my way to work to give treats to my neighbors’ dog and tell that canine friend I love him. It kills me to see the mud dried on his coat. I had dropped off cedar bedding for him, and I see his owners have put it in his doghouse. But, I don’t know if they are changing it out as it gets wet. How can he stay warm if his bedding is wet?

While this dog doesn’t get the attention he deserves, he has it better than some. He has a doghouse, which his owners have thrown a tarp over, so the house itself is dry. He seems to be fed and watered, and thanks to the non-tethering ordinance, he is no longer tied up in his yard.

But, what about the dogs that are still tied up and trying to stay dry in leaking garages, lean-tos, metal barrels, or uninsulated plastic boxes designed to be used as carriers? And what about the dogs with well-intentioned owners who put a blanket in the house at the beginning of winter and leave it to get filthy and wet over and over again?

If your dog lives outside, please make sure he always has a clean, dry place to live that is small enough to warm with his own body heat. Since it takes more fuel to stay warm in the winter, make sure he has enough clean, fresh food and water to create that heat.

If you know of a dog who doesn’t have the necessary basics, please do something.

I was nervous, but my neighbors did not seem offended by my providing straw or cedar bedding for their dog, and they responded immediately when I told them they could not legally tether him.

If you aren’t comfortable working directly with the owner of a dog in need, you have options. For obvious cases of abuse or neglect, call Limestone County Animal Control at 256-233-6476 (or 256-232-0111 after hours).

If you know of a dog that needs a house or straw, reach out to the volunteer team through the Athens-Limestone Animal Shelter website at https://limestonepets.org. These amazing warriors will do anything they can to help owners who want to do right by their animals. The welfare of these innocent creatures of God comes first.

— Pets and the People Who Love Them is brought to you by your friends at the Athens-Limestone Animal Shelter. To adopt your best friend (cat or dog,) go to the shelter at 1701 U.S. 72 (behind Limestone Veterinary Clinic), visit our Facebook page or call us at 256-771-7889.