Animal Control Officers Are in the Doghouse… For a Good Cause

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Frigid temperatures are hitting much of North America, so some brave animal control officials in Michigan want to make sure you know just how dangerous these chilly elements are to our pets.


In Saginaw County, Michigan, animal control officers are going to some ‘extreme’ measures to show pet owners the dangers of these ‘extreme’ temperatures we’ve been having can be to pets, particularly dogs who are left out.


On January 12, 2018, Officer Joaquin Guerrero and two other animal control officers are going to prove their point in a pretty significant way. They plan to sleep outside at Apple Mountain in Thomas Township in custom-made dog houses. The dog houses are being made by prisoners at the Saginaw Correctional Facility.


Related: Turkish Woman Builds Ladder to Window For Cats To Come In From The Cold


The third unlucky officer will sleep outside with no shelter, as many animals are forced to do when their owners don’t bring them in for extreme weather conditions.


Officer Guerrero says the doghouses will be just big enough for them to crawl in and sit–no stretching out or getting comfy. Inside, there will be straw, but otherwise, they’ll be left to fend for themselves with the temps. He says that often dog owners think that because dogs have fur, they’re able to tolerate any weather.


Officer Guerrero’s partner, Little Chief, a 16-week-old German Shepherd, will be part of the demonstration, called, “Freezin’ for a Reason,” as will students from the local elementary Hemmeter Elementary School. Little Chief and the students and Little Chief will be inside, safe and warm, while monitoring the comfort levels, health, and temperatures of the officers.


While outside, Officer Guerrero will stream Facebook Live videos so that people can see how hard it is, and he is hopeful he can make it through the night. To bump this challenge up a notch, he’ll be tied to a chain to prove how this affects a dog’s efforts to find warmth.


Related: Winter SOS: Cold Weather Safety Tips for Dogs


And while there will be medical personnel on hand to watch over the officers, most animals in the same conditions do not have that luxury. Guerrero says that it is their responsibility to be the voice of animals–especially the ones they sadly find frozen to death because of being left out. He says that the awareness they are bringing will hopefully spread the education facts.

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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