By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News

Dr. E.J. Finocchio, director of the Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) reminds all pet owners that animals, especially small dogs, cats and young and elderly animals, should be brought inside during the storm.

“It boils down to common sense in many of these situations,” said Finocchio.

Finocchio said dogs that normally inhabit dog shelters or houses might become trapped because of the high accumulation forecast.

“There’s always the possibility that the snow could pass the height of the enclosure, which poses a serious problem,” he said.

Cats, which are typically resourceful when it comes to finding shelter, might also be hindered by the expected accumulation.

Finocchio said that those concerned about the safety of animals should leave shed or garage doors open to provide emergency shelter for pets that may have been left out in the cold.

“It’s going to be difficult for some of these animals,” he said. “There’s no foolproof method to preventing them to being outside.”

Unlike small dogs and cats, Finocchio said larger animals, like horses, will weather the storm well as long as they have plenty of hay and water in their barns.

For those who own dogs, Finocchio said keeping a small area shoveled outside for them to “do their business” is sufficient. But don’t leave dogs unattended outside, even for a short period of time.

“Keep an eye on them,” he said. “Don’t just turn them out and let them be unsupervised.”

For detailed forecasts and up-to-the-minute closings and information, visit our Operation Snowball page.