Free straw available for outdoor pets in winter

A statewide animal advocacy group is providing free straw for outside animals to help keep them safe and warm.

Straw provides effective and inexpensive insulation for outdoor animals. It’s ideal for doghouses and outdoor sleeping areas and offers a warm, slip-resistant layer when placed over snow, ice or mud.

The best place for pets, especially when it’s cold, is indoors. Animals that are more comfortable outside should be provided with dog houses or shelter that is waterproof, is placed in an area sheltered from wind and precipitation, and has a covered, accessible entrance. Food and water bowls should be checked every few hours for frozen moisture.

Those needing straw for their pets can pick the bales up at:

Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department’s Eastside and Westside Shelters. For pickup information, call 311 if you live in Albuquerque.

Bernalillo County Animal Care Services at 1136 Gatewood Ave. SW, Albuquerque; call 505-468-7387. Santa Fe Animal Services; call 505-955-2702. Santa Fe County Sheriff ’s Animal Control Division; call 505-992-1626.

Las Vegas and San Miguel County; call the AWC Pet Center (Las Vegas Animal Shelter) at 505426-3289.

For information about supporting the program, visit apnm.org.