Aiexpress – It is snowing and very cold outside, and not only do we need to warm up, but so do Helena’s stray animals.
Born and raised in Helena, Madeliene Rafter saw a need in her community and built a warm place for stray cats to stay safe and warm during the winter.
“Just imagining them going through any type of suffering, especially in the winter when there is a higher risk of getting hypothermia or even dying at the worst, thinking about that breaks our heart,” Rafter adds.
The shelter was bought on Amazon and has a heating pad to keep it warm. However, Rafter has heard of people using a Styrofoam cooler filled with blankets and hay instead.
Rafter also tells people to build shelters in their own places.
The humane society still takes in dozens of cats and dogs every month, even though winter is not their biggest season.
Cassidy Cook from the Lewis and Clark Humane Society talks about how cats and dogs are different in the winter.
“I understand how hard it is for us to believe they are okay when it’s -30 degrees outside, but cats are usually fine.” “They are actually very tough, especially if they are used to living outside,” says Cook. It’s clear that dogs aren’t like people. If you see a dog wandering around, you should probably pick it up. Dogs aren’t meant to just be wandering around, especially when it’s cold Outside.
In places where there are a lot of strays, giving them food, water, and homemade homes can help them get through the winter.
The Humane Society has many programs and tools that can help people figure out if an animal is okay in the winter.
The Lewis and Clark Humane Society website has ways for you to help animals in your area.
