We’ve all seen the videos of people sitting in cars on hot days to show just how bad it gets inside for dogs and to try and inspire change for their well-being. Well, just as bad as it is to leave a dog in a hot car on a summer day, it’s just as bad to leave them outside during cold spells. Even with a dog house.
Dr. Ernie Ward sets out to show just how cold it gets in a dog house at night. He’s a firm believer that if this video can save the life of one animal, then it was worth it for him to subject himself to the experiment.
Only a half hour in at 25 degrees Fahrenheit, he’s already experiencing bits of shivering. And above his head on the ceiling of the dog house, he notices ice crystals are forming. An hour in he says, “At this level, for a prolonged exposure, no dog is biologically adapted to handle this.”
After four hours in the dog house, it’s down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and Dr. Ward’s hands are completely numb and he’s experiencing a lot of uncontrolled shivering. I think he says it best with this line: “Our responsibility is to provide the best quality of life for the animals we love and cherish — and this ain’t it!”