Most dogs have nice winter coats, but it doesn't mean they're comfortable in the cold -- especially in the frigid Midwest.
A woman in Sheboygan, Wis., was arrested last weekend after she left her 11-year-old Border Collie mix outside in 6-degree weather. The dog, named Jiffy, was frozen to the sidewalk overnight before rescuers freed him with the help of warm water.
Police arrested the 59-year-old owner of the dog on suspicion of animal neglect. She told police that she tried to get the Jiffy inside but was unsuccessful because he is 50 pounds overweight. Officials at the Sheboygan County Humane Society described him as "morbidly obese."
Although it was Jiffy's weight that put him in that predicament, it is probably also what saved him. Because he is too heavy to walk, he could not be helped inside. But his extra layers of fat probably kept him alive until help arrived.
A neighbor called police after the dog had been stuck to the pavement for 12 hours.
There's a lesson here for all of us. If it's too cold for a human to be outside, chances are a dog feels the same way. Simple logic -- but unbelievably, some people just can't figure it out.
