EAST ST LOUIS, Ill. — Employees from Gateway Pet Guardians are planning to go door-to-door Tuesday in the Metro East to ask people to bring their pets inside. They’ll be giving away free crates and supplies so those outdoor pets have a place indoors.
"A lot of the families I work with don't even have heaters in their homes, so it makes sense that the dog outside is the last thing on their minds, and they're just trying to keep themselves warm and make ends meet,” Janet Alderson said.
Alderson already started dropping off crates Monday. She said the demand is high.
"We need as many crates as we can get. We've had people calling in all day,” she said.
Janet said the cold can cause frostbite and hypothermia, and it can kill dogs. She said Tuesday and Wednesday will be so cold it’ll only be safe to let dogs outside for quick potty breaks.
"Bringing them indoors in the crate, even if they hate it for a little bit, is still safer to keep them outside,” she said.
If you want to help Gateway Pet Guardians, you can make a donation here.
Medium and large crates can be dropped off at the shelter at 5321 Manchester Ave., St. Louis.
If you live in the Metro East and you need a crate or other supplies to keep your pets safe, call 314-399-9738.