(Radio Iowa) – With high temperatures in the negative numbers and wind chills approaching 35-below, Iowa’s a pretty inhospitable place right now — for people and for our pets.

KC Routos, development director of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says some dog and cat owners are taking their furry friends with them on errands to the grocery store and elsewhere, and they’re leaving the animals in running vehicles. Routos says that’s a dangerous, potentially deadly move, for your pet.

“If you leave your car running and something happens where it happens to turn off, or they step on the window and it rolls down, or any variety of things could happen, just on accident,” Routos says, “so it’s always best just to leave your pet at home when it’s extreme temperatures like this.”

Even Siberian Huskies like Raven, a dog that’s available for adoption, shouldn’t be left outside in this weather. (ARL-Iowa photo)

While exercise is important for all of us, she says it’s likely best not to take your pets on their typical strolls around the neighborhood — or anywhere else — until it warms up.

“We’d recommend probably not taking dogs out for walks during these extreme temperatures,” Routos says. “Their paws can be a little bit more sensitive to it and frostbite can probably happen pretty quickly in these extreme temperatures, just like they can for humans.”

Some animals are built for colder weather and enjoy playing in the cold. Routos says the owner should increase the amount of food that animal is given, especially extra protein, to keep them and their fur healthy and in good shape. It’s vital that outside animals have the proper protection from the bitter temperatures.

“If your pet absolutely has to be kept outside, make sure that they have housing where they can be free of any of the elements, including the wind, and making sure that any water that they have is unfrozen,” Routos says. “Even Huskies, in this temperature, it can be a little bit cold because they’re not necessarily used to it like they are maybe in some other areas.”

Puppies, small dogs and older dogs have a lower tolerance for cold temperatures, she says, so only let them outside to relieve themselves, or train them to use paper pads indoors. Also, when your pet comes back inside, towel dry their paws, legs and stomach, as chemicals used to melt ice can be dangerous for your dog to ingest while licking his paws. Snow and encrusted ice may also cause your dog’s paw pads to bleed.

Find more tips at: ARL-Iowa.org

(Radio Iowa) – The Republican Party of Iowa raised over $800,000 to finance the operations for tonight’s Iowa Caucuses. The caucuses are not like a primary, when county auditors and county-owned voting machines process ballots. Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann said it’s a major undertaking for the party. “We have done over 200 trainings face-to-face. We’re going to be approaching 10,000 volunteers to carry this out,” Kaufmann said during a speech at a recent Iowa GOP fundraiser. “We are very, very confident that we have done everything humanly possible to make sure this Caucus comes off without a hitch.”

Kaufmann uses the word “unprecedented” to describe the level of precinct-level organizing on the part of two campaigns. He won’t name the campaigns, but it’s clear from the activity Iowa Republicans are seeing that he’s referring to the Trump and DeSantis teams. “The organization is actually perfect training for what they’re going to have to do in the General Election,” Kaufmannn said.

Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann speaks with reporters. (RI file photo)

You must be an Iowa resident and a registered Republican to participate in tonight’s straw poll vote. Democrats and independents are able to switch their party registration at Caucus sites, starting at 6 p.m. Kaufmann is issuing a warning to Democrats who may register as Republicans to participate in the Iowa GOP’s Caucuses and cast a vote in the Iowa Democratic Party’s new mail-in system to indicate which Democratic candidate they prefer. “If a Democrat attempts to do that and participates in both, that’s against the law,” Kaufmann said, “and we’re going to be monitoring that very, very carefully.”

Kaufmann has been chairman of the Iowa Republican Party for a decade.