Cold weather pet

An arctic air blast swept south from Canada, spreading into the northern United States. Meanwhile, residents of the Pacific Northwest braced for possible mudslides and levee failures as floodwaters slowly recede. The concern for Alabama and the southeast are brutally cold temperatures tonight and early this week with lows in the mid-teens in some spots.

Keeping a eye on the temperatures is important this time of year, when it may be spring-like today and almost freezing tomorrow night - a difficult adjustment for any of us, and for our four-footed friends!

With winter weather in the forecast for Alabama, Huntsville Animal Services is urging pet owners to take extra precautions to ensure their pets stay safe and comfortable. The National Weather Service (NWS) reports freezing rain, ice and snow are predicted along with extreme arctic air.

As icy temperatures and arctic air continue to hit Alabama, warming stations are keeping their doors open to help shelter residence from the cold. Stations are open in Mobile, Birmingham and Huntsville. That's also the case for Tuscaloosa, where the county's Emergency Management Agency is asking for donations to help those in need.

If you want to help an outdoor pet withstand the winter temperatures, consider making a shelter for it - from a styrofoam cooler!