With record low temperatures and a potentially dangerous storm quickly approaching just in time for the holidays, the Toledo Humane Society (THS) is dealing with an influx of cruelty calls pertaining to animals in need of their help. Humane society president Stephen Heaven said, “With only two cruelty officers on staff and dozens of calls and online complaints already coming in, this upcoming Friday to Sunday is going to require a lot more manpower than usual to help save lives.”
Temperatures throughout the Toledo area are expected to dip into the single digits, with wind chills in the negatives. The THS cruelty officers will be working to respond to as many calls as possible. Anyone witnessing an animal in desperate need of help should call the cruelty hotline at 419-891-9777 or file a report online at Toledo Humane.org. Due to the expected increase in call volume and the holidays, people also should call their local police department, especially during the night hours and during the weekend for immediate assistance.
Temperatures this low can take the life of an animal left outdoors very quickly. THS is therefore urging all pet owners, who normally keep their animals outside to bring them inside, at least until the storm and temperatures improve. If pet owners with outdoor pets are in need of a crate to house them indoors, contact info@toledohumane.org for further assistance.
Pets left outside without access to proper shelter, food and water (water cannot be frozen), could lead to the animal being confiscated into their care immediately.
THS is asking for public assistance to help. They are in dire need of large dog crate donations and bags of pet food to hand out to those in need in the community. Donations can be brought to the shelter at any time. For donations brought after business hours, they can be placed outside the front door for staff to retrieve.
