Alaska winters create challenges for JBER pet owners

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Vernon Cunningham
  • 673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARSON, Alaska --  Some of the most cherished animals in the last frontier are not always found roaming free throughout Alaska. Many service members have pets which are considered to be part of the family and share a home on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Having pets comes with an added responsibility in the winter.

According to Aurora Military Housing's JBER Tenant Handbook, pet ownership is a privilege extended to all tenants in JBER housing. All privately owned pets over four months of age must be registered with the JBER veterinarian. Residents are also responsible for ensuring proper care, upkeep, and shelter for their pets regardless of the season.

"It is important to ensure you slowly acclimate your pet to the colder temperatures outdoors," said Army Capt. Meghan Nelson, JBER branch chief for the Public Health Command District-Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash. "If your pet lives inside most of the time, you should not be leaving them outside for longer than 10 to 20 minutes at a time without checking on them to make sure they are handling the colder temperatures well."

Nelson said animals and their owners are prone to the same type of cold weather injuries, such as hypothermia or frostbite on extremities.

"Small animals or those without a thicker fur coat should not be left outside unsupervised, as cold weather injuries can set in quickly," she said. "We recommend booties, sweaters and other articles of clothing to keep your pet warm if you plan to keep them outside for long periods of time. And, as always, make sure you are supervising them at all times."

Residents may need to adjust their habits to take on the challenges of pet ownership in Alaska, according to the housing office.

"Most winters, when snow falls, dogs can walk right over the fence and into other people's yards," said Chris Anderson, Aurora Military Housing office lead. "I have seen people snow blow around their fence so dogs can't just step over. Plus, I've seen people plow or shovel a path, which makes it easier for waste cleanup. My neighbor, who has a little dog, shoveled a loop in their yard. The dog is always in the loop, so they never have to go find the poop."

Although cleaning up waste is every resident's responsibility year-round, Aurora Housing helps new residents get a fresh start by offering a one-time spring cleanup of their back yard.

"New residents don't always know what was going on under the snow when they moved in," said Anderson. "They have to call us between April 1 and 16 to make an appointment to come out and clean up their yard. Whether there is still snow on the ground or not, we put them on a schedule for when the snow does melt and we will go out and clean them up. This is briefed to residents when they move in."

Anderson said there are also services that will remove waste from JBER residents' homes for a fee. These services advertise at the Aurora Housing Office.

Other than waste cleanup, pet owners on JBER may also need to adjust how much they feed their animals.

"In general, pets should be fed less during the winter months if you are not planning on exercising them as frequently as you did when it was warmer outside," Nelson said. "It would be ideal for them to maintain the same body condition year round. Extra weight in the winter does not actually help them to stay much warmer outside and only leads to further health complications due to excessive strain on their body and joints."

Once the snow begins to melt, referred to as breakup, there are other concerns that come up for residents.

"Breakup means everything is ugly and muddy and messy," Anderson said. "I recommend not letting your animals run in the house all muddy. Then you are going to have to clean the rug. Lots of people put towels down, or a rug or something, by the door where the animal runs in and out or literally wipe their pet's feet as they come into the house."

A lot goes into keeping compliant with rules on cleanliness and pet safety, so Anderson recommended all JBER housing residents keep up with the current policies and read the JBER Tenant Handbook.

For proper precautions on taking care of pets during winter months and beyond, Nelson said JBER residents can always consult the veterinarian.

"Pets less than 8 years should be seen by a veterinarian at least once yearly," she said. "We recommend that pets over 8 years of age or those with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, be seen at least every 6 months. This allows the vet to detect any medical issues prior to them being an emergency."

Once winter is over, pet owners need to remember lessons learned and prepare for the next cycle of winter for them and their pets.

"The most important thing to remember is that most of our pets are not used to staying outside in the freezing cold temperatures," Nelson said. "Please make sure you are monitoring them closely when they are outside. If you notice any lumps, bumps or sores on your pet, don't hesitate to have them checked out."