"Make sure they have fresh water, not frozen, check their pads, make sure they're not hurt, there's no salt in there, salt burns their paws, no ice on the hair between their paws," Savage said.
>>RELATED: Man evades capture after multi-jurisdictional manhunt called off in Xenia
>>WEATHER: Freezing cold continues; snow showers possible Sunday
Savage said handlers don’t set a time limit for the K-9s when they are out in the cold, but they do keep a close eye on them which is imperative.
There have been a couple of reports in the past week of dogs that were found frozen to death with their owners either neglecting or just unsure of how long their dog was outside for.
On Dec. 29, a dog was found "frozen solid" on a Toledo home front porch and on Wednesday another was found dead in an outdoor dog house.
In spite of all the difficulties and possible dangers that comes with the cold, police say snow actually helps a K-9 pick up on a scent.
Make sure to stay updated with weather on the FREE WHIO Weather App. To download click here.
About the Author