Dog Left Outside for Six Hours Now in Protective Care

The Greenfield Police Department found a Cocker Spaniel frozen to a back door of a residence in the 3600 block of South 32nd Street at 1 p.m. Feb. 1, after receiving a tip from a caller.

The caller told police that the dog was outside for about six hours. The dog owner, however, told police that he had let the dog out at 11 a.m. and "must have dozed off," according to the police report.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in the Milwaukee area averaged 22 degrees that day.

According to the police report, the officer advised the dog's owners of possible citations being issued.

The dog is alive and under protective care.

February, coincidentally, is Responsible Pet Owner Month, and the Humane Society of the United States website offers these tips for pet owners to keep their four-legged friends safe during the winter:

• Dogs and cats are safer indoors, except when taken out for supervised exercise, and wind chills, no matter what the temperature, can threaten your pet's life.
• Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm zaps their energy.
• Salt and other chemicals used to melt ice can irritate your pet's foot pads and may be harmful if ingested. The HSUS suggests wiping your pet's feet with a damp towel before your pet licks them or buy pet-friendly ice melts.

For more cold-weather tips, click here.