13 Companion Animals Endured Cold Weather-Related Deaths in 2023—That We Know Of

The number of dogs and other companion animals who have reportedly died from causes related to cold weather in 2023:

13

Every year, PETA receives reports about dogs, cats, and other animals who have died after being left outdoors in cold weather. In 2023 alone, 13 companion animals died because of cold weather—and those are just the deaths that were reported. Most aren’t.

Year	Deaths	Rescues	Incidents
2024	29	504	See the list.
2023	13	644	See the list.
2022	35	364	See the list.
2021	22	475	See the list.
2020	6	77	See the list.
2019	37	322	See the list.
2018	43	34	See the list.

How to Keep Your Animal Companion Safe in Cold Weather

The following list is a compilation of cold weather–related deaths of companion animals reported by the media as of 2023:

Date	Location	Notes	Number of Dogs and Other Animals Who Died
12/28/2023	Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada	Four puppies were found alive after seven had been dumped in a frigid river.	3
12/21/23	Cantril, Iowa	Six puppies died from the cold during an ongoing investigation into a breeder.	6
11/29/2023	Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey	Three puppies were abandoned in the cold woods, and one of them died.	1
11/22/2023	Toledo, Ohio	A dog was found dead in a crate after having been left outside at a park in cold, rainy weather.	1
1/24/2023	Kansas City, Missouri	Two dogs were found frozen in a home during an eviction. One was still barely alive.	1
1/8/2023	Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond. Another dog fell through the ice and wasn’t recovered.	1

The following list is a compilation of cold weather–related rescues of companion animals reported by the media as of 2023:

Date	Location	Notes	Number of Dogs and Other Animals Who Were Rescued
12/31/2023	Silverdale, Washington	A dog rescued from the cold outside a Taco Bell restaurant is now working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.	1
12/29/2023	Bountiful, Utah	After being missing for almost two weeks, a dog was found by a hiker.	1
12/28/2023	New York	A cat was rescued from the cold rain after “knocking” on an apartment building door for two days.	1
12/18/2023	Denver, Colorado	A cat was healing from hypothermia after being missing for 23 days in the cold.	1
11/25/2023	New York, New York	Twenty-one cats were found in a van on a freezing-cold morning.	21
11/25/2023	Green Lake Township, Minnesota	A dog was rescued from a frigid lake after falling through thin ice.	1
12/24/2023	Tacoma, Washington	A hypothermic dog was found on a front porch on Christmas Eve.	1
11/24/2023	Vail, Colorado	A dog was found after getting lost after a car crash and spending 50 hours in the cold.	1
11/22/2023	Lancaster County, Pennsylvania	A visually impaired cat was found outside in the cold.	1
12/21/2023	River Rouge, Michigan	Four kittens who had been abandoned in a park were rescued from the cold.	4
12/21/2023	West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada	A cat was rescued from a tree after spending the night in the cold rain.	1
12/18/2023	Ogema Township, Minnesota	A woman and her dog were found after getting lost in the woods during subzero temperatures overnight.	1
12/16/2023	Armstrong County, Pennsylvania	Thirty dogs were rescued from a farm, where they lived in squalor and without proper insulation.	30
12/16/2023	Monett, Missouri	Two shivering dogs were rescued after falling into a wastewater pond.	2
12/14/2023	Malden, Massachusetts	A dog with a 13-pound tumor was found tied to a pole in the cold.	1
12/12/2023	Indianapolis, Indiana	A family of six cats and a lonely kitten were rescued from the cold.	7
12/7/2023	Boxford, Massachusetts	A dog was rescued after getting stuck on thin ice on a pond.	1
12/7/2023	Duluth, Minnesota	A dog was rescued from 8-foot waves after jumping into Lake Superior.	1
12/6/2023	Wenatchee, Washington	A dog was rescued from an icy swimming pool.	1
12/5/2023	South Euclid, Ohio	A cold dog was rescued after getting stuck in a ravine.	1
12/3/2023	Anoka County, Minnesota	Two anglers and their dog were rescued after falling through the ice on a lake.	1
11/30/2023	Carmel, Indiana	A dog was rescued by firefighters after falling through thin ice on a pond.	1
11/29/2023	Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey	Three puppies were abandoned in the cold woods, and one of them died.	2
11/18/2023	Elk County, Pennsylvania	A hiker and his dog were rescued after spending a night outside in the cold.	1
11/17/2023	Berkley, Massachusetts	A kitten was found outside with a body temperature 7 degrees below normal.	1
11/16/2023	Frisco, Colorado	A dog was rescued after falling through the ice on a pond at a golf course.	1
11/15/2023	San Antonio, Texas	A wet and shivering puppy was rescued from a storm drain.	1
11/15/2023	New York, New York	A family of cats was rescued from the cold after being abandoned in a sealed plastic tub.	8
11/12/2023	Brookfield, Connecticut	A dog chasing a fox got stranded across a river and was rescued by a dive team.	1
11/9/2023	Othello, Washington	A dog was rescued from a cold Walmart parking lot.	1
11/4/2023	Somerset, Wisconsin	An animal rescue group’s annual “out of the cold” project turned up many more animals living outside in the cold than usual.	420 rescues (400 dogs, 20 cats)
10/31/2023	Hendricks County, Indiana	A shivering dog was rescued from a parking lot after being chained to a car.	1
10/31/2023	Queens, New York	A blind dog was rescued from a frigid pond.	1
10/29/2023	Custar, Ohio	A senior dog was found after being abandoned outside a feline rescue facility.	1
10/27/2023	Tacoma, Washington	Two dogs, one of whom was suffering from hypothermia, were rescued from freezing temperatures outside.	2
10/8/2023	Chicago, Illinois	A shivering kitten was rescued by a runner during a marathon.	1
10/7/2023	Mission, British Columbia, Canada	A dog was abandoned in a crate outside an animal sanctuary in the cold rain.	1
9/19/2023	Islandia, New York	Two kittens were rescued from a parking lot on a cold, rainy day.	2
5/3/2023	Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada	Firefighters rescued a dog stuck on the ice of a lake.	1
5/1/2023	Lower Frankford Township, Pennsylvania	A malnourished dog was brought to an animal shelter after being found “ice cold” and anemic outside.	1
4/25/2023	Rhinelander, Wisconsin	Firefighters rescued a dog and their guardian from an icy lake.	1
4/25/2023	Leavenworth, Washington	Firefighters rescued a dog from a “frigid” creek.	1
4/16/2023	Okotoks, Alberta, Canada	A guardian saved their dog from an unused septic tank full of cold water.	1
4/15/2023	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada	A cat was found with serious frostbite injuries after getting stuck in a van in the cold.	1
4/13/2023	Chisago County, Minnesota	Neighbors and sheriff’s deputies helped a mother and daughter rescue a dog who had fallen into an icy lake.	1
4/13/2023	Coos County, Oregon	Sheriff’s deputies rescued two dogs and their guardian after their vehicle got stuck in the snow overnight.	2
4/11/2023	Big Lake, Minnesota	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen lake.	1
4/8/2023	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen body of water.	1
4/2/2023	Schoharie County, New York	A dog was rescued from a partially frozen pond.	1
3/30/2023	Powell River, British Columbia, Canada	A dog and two men were rescued from frigid water after their boat capsized.	1
3/29/2023	Rumson, New Jersey	A teenager rescued a dog from a cold river.	1
3/27/2023	Westerlo, New York	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
3/26/2023	Alna, Maine	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
3/26/2023	Lee Township, Michigan	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen body of water.	1
3/22/2023	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada	Four puppies were rescued after being abandoned in a rural area in freezing temperatures.	4
3/20/2023	Calumet, Wisconsin	Firefighters rescued a dog and their guardian from a partially frozen pond.	1
3/15/2023	Walterboro, South Carolina	Firefighters rescued a dog from a cold pond.	1
3/15/2023	San Bernardino, California	Firefighters rescued two dogs who were stranded on a snow-covered rooftop and reunited them with their guardian.	2
3/13/2023	Throop, New York	Firefighters rescued a dog who had gone missing in cold temperatures.	1
3/12/2023	Kingston, Ontario, Canada	Firefighters rescued a dog and their guardian from a partially frozen body of water.	1
3/12/2023	Missoula, Montana	Firefighters and ice climbers rescued a dog who was stuck on a cliff surrounded by ice.	1
3/10/2023	Detroit, Michigan	A dog was rescued after being abandoned in the snow on the side of a freeway.	1
3/8/2023	Hardwick, Massachusetts	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
3/7/2023	Muskegon Heights, Michigan	Firefighters rescued a dog who had fallen from 10 feet onto a frozen body of water.	1
3/6/2023	Alpena, Michigan	Firefighters rescued a dog and their guardian from a partially frozen river.	1
3/5/2023	Raymond, Wisconsin	First responders rescued two dogs and their guardian from a partially frozen pond.	2
3/3/2023	Cairo, New York	A good Samaritan and first responders rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
3/2/2023	Kittery, Maine	Firefighters rescued two dogs from a partially frozen pond.	2
2/28/2023	Thornton, Colorado	Firefighters rescued two dogs from a partially frozen lake.	2
2/27/2023	Douglas, Massachusetts	Firefighters rescued two dogs from a partially frozen pond.	2
2/25/2023	Sagadahoc County, Maine	A sheriff’s deputy rescued a nearly frozen dog from a ditch.	1
2/24/2023	Portland, Oregon	A police officer rescued a dog who was trapped underneath a dock in a cold river.	1
2/23/2023	Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada	A cat was rescued after being found nearly frozen in the snow on the side of a road.	1
2/17/2023	Denver, Colorado	A man rescued a dog who had fallen through the ice while chasing geese at Sloan’s Lake.	1
2/17/2023	Kansas City, Missouri	A dog was rescued after being found unconscious and covered with semi-frozen feces inside a cold wire crate.	1
2/17/2023	Libertyville, Illinois	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
2/16/2023	Lakewood, New York	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen lake.	1
2/15/2023	Moffat County, Colorado	Stranded motorists and a dog were rescued during a blizzard.	1
2/14/2023	Lawrence, Massachusetts	A man was facing a charge of cruelty to animals after allegedly beating a kitten then abandoning her in the cold outside a gas station.	1
2/14/2023	Portage, Michigan	A dog was rescued by his guardian after falling through a partially frozen lake.	1
2/11/2023	Adams County, Colorado	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen reservoir.	1
2/9/2023	Macomb County, Michigan	A cat was rescued after being found frozen to the ground at a construction site.	1
2/9/2023	Danvers, Massachusetts	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen reservoir.	1
2/7/2023	Scituate, Rhode Island	A dog was rescued after being abandoned inside a crate in a cemetery in below-freezing temperatures.	1
2/7/2023	Waterford, Ontario, Canada	A dehydrated and emaciated dog was found abandoned in frigid temperatures.	1
2/6/2023	Gardiner, New York	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen river.	1
2/6/2023	Kenyon, Minnesota	A good Samaritan rescued a cat who was frozen to the ground.	1
2/6/2023	LaGrange, New York	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen body of water.	1
2/6/2023	Lenexa, Kansas	A dog was rescued after falling through a partially frozen lake.	1
2/5/2023	Williamsport, Pennsylvania	A dog was abandoned in a crate at the edge of a parking lot in below-freezing temperatures.	1
2/4/2023	Louisdale, Nova Scotia, Canada	A man was charged with cruelty to animals after he allegedly left his dog tied up outside in the snow.	1
2/4/2023	Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada	An emaciated, pregnant dog was rescued after being found chained to a basement wall in freezing temperatures.	1
2/4/2023	Dickinson County, Iowa	Good Samaritans rescued a dog and their guardian after their car fell through the ice on a partially frozen lake.	1
2/4/2023	Wareham, Massachusetts	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
2/3/2023	Mohawk, New York	A dog was rescued after being abandoned outside an animal shelter in subzero temperatures.	1
2/2/2023	Eau Claire, Wisconsin	A dog was tied to the door of an animal shelter in freezing temperatures.	1
2/2/2023	Arvada, Colorado	Firefighters rescued a dog and their guardian from a partially frozen lake.	1
2/2/2023	Yavapai County, Arizona	A dog and their guardians were rescued after spending two nights in their truck, which had gotten stuck in ice and snow.	1
2/1/2023	Temple, Texas	A 10-year-old boy rescued a dog who was tied to a broken tree limb after a winter storm.	1
2/1/2023	East Haven, Connecticut	A homeless man and his dog were rescued from the cold.	1
1/31/2023	Dallas, Texas	Animal control officers rescued a dog who was outside in freezing temperatures without shelter or drinkable water.	1
1/27/2023	Wayne Township, Pennsylvania	A dog survived being shot three times and tied up outside in freezing temperatures.	1
1/27/2023	Berne, New York	First responders rescued a dog from a partially frozen lake.	1
1/27/2023	Muskegon, Michigan	A stray dog and her puppy were rescued from the cold.	2
1/24/2023	Kansas City, Missouri	Two dogs were found frozen in a home during an eviction. One was still barely alive.	1
1/24/2023	Belmont, New Hampshire	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen lake.	1
1/19/2023	Point Pleasant, New Jersey	A good Samaritan and first responders rescued a dog from a frigid lagoon.	1
1/17/2023	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Police and firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen river.	1
1/15/2023	Omaha, Nebraska	A dog and their guardian were rescued from a cold, muddy lake.	1
11/10/2023	Clearwater, British Columbia, Canada	Fifteen neglected and emaciated dogs were seized from a property after being left in subzero temperatures without food or water.	15
1/10/2023	Pueblo, Colorado	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen lake.	1
1/8/2023	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	A dog and her guardian were rescued after falling into a partially frozen river.	1
1/8/2023	Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond. Another dog fell through the ice and wasn’t recovered.	1
1/7/2023	Rutherford County, North Carolina	Three puppies were found cold and hungry in the woods.	3
1/5/2023	Danville, Vermont	Firefighters rescued a dog, their guardian, and an attempted rescuer from a partially frozen pond.	1
1/5/2023	Canterbury, New Hampshire	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
1/3/2023	Lebanon, Maine	A good Samaritan rescued a dog from a partially frozen river.	1
1/3/2023	Wichita, Kansas	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen river.	1
1/2/2023	Pike Creek, Delaware	A dog and their guardian were rescued from a partially frozen pond.	1
1/2/2023	Cabery, Illinois	Firefighters rescued a dog from a partially frozen pond.	1
1/1/2023	Fargo, North Dakota	A kitten was rescued after being found frozen to the ground.	1
1/1/2023	West Fargo, North Dakota	A dog was rescued after falling into a partially frozen river.	1
1/1/2023	Lac-Beauport, Québec, Canada	A dog was rescued from a partially frozen lake.	1
1/1/2023	Burlington, Wyoming	An injured kitten suffering from frostbite was rescued after being found in the cold.	1
1/1/2023	North Platte, Nebraska	Divers rescued a dog from a partially frozen lake.	1

No animal should endure a cold weather–related death. It’s inexcusable.

As guardians, we must take these vital steps in order to protect our beloved animal family members:

1. Keep animals indoors.

Puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans, are particularly susceptible to the elements, but all animal companions should be kept warm and cozy indoors. Short-haired animals will also benefit from wearing warm sweaters or coats during brief trips outdoors.

2. Don’t allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors without supervision.

Being outside unattended is always dangerous for our animal companions, but cold weather poses even more risks. Cats can climb under the hoods of cars in order to get near warm engines and then be badly injured or killed when the vehicle is started.

3. Keep an eye out for strays.

If you see companion animals roaming the streets, bring them indoors until you can find their guardians, or take them to an animal shelter.

4. Clean dogs after they come in from the snow.

Salt and chemicals used to counter snow can make animals sick if they ingest them. Always clean off your dogs’ legs, paws, and stomach after they’ve been out in the snow. If you use antifreeze, buy a nontoxic brand like Sierra or Prestone LowTox.

5. If you see dogs left outdoors in extreme weather without proper shelter, alert the authorities.

Winter weather spells extra hardship for “backyard dogs,” who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care. If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, note their location and alert local authorities immediately.

6. Help all animals survive cold snaps.

During extreme winter conditions, you can provide birds and other wildlife with access to water by filling a heavy nonmetal water bowl (tongues can freeze to metal) and breaking the surface ice twice a day.

When the weather improves, be sure to remove any food offerings in order to prevent the animals’ dependence on artificial feedings.

*****

Together, we can help drastically reduce the number of dogs and other animal companions who die in cold weather and even eliminate these tragedies altogether.

Animals are counting on us—as their guardians and as good Samaritans—to keep them safe. We can’t let them down.

Take Action Now

You can become an “Angel for Animals” by sponsoring a PETA doghouse. We provide lonely “outside dogs” with sturdy doghouses to shelter them in the rain and in the snow and freezing temperatures of winter. Click below to help:

Help a Cold, Neglected Dog Survive the Winter

Make sure that all your friends and family members know the potentially lifesaving cold-weather tips above:

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Watch this video, listen to this radio clip, and check out this ad to learn more about the reasons why you should never leave a dog outside during cold weather.

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