Cooperative Living July 2019 - 29

Top: This pup understands the comfort
of an insulated bed to sleep on.
Cats love blankets too!
Q: To save energy, we keep our home cool
during winter nights and warm during
summer days. How much " hot and cold " can
our pup and tabby handle?
A: Cats and dogs can handle the cold better than
humans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), which regulates facilities that house cats
and dogs, requires these facilities to maintain
temperatures above 50 degrees F. Some
exceptions are allowed for breeds accustomed
to the cold or if some form of insulation for the
animals is provided. Your pet's tolerance really
depends on their breed and the thickness of
their coat.
A report by the Purdue Center for Animal
Science says that Siberian huskies can tolerate
temperatures below freezing, but some shorthaired
dogs require temperatures of 59 degrees F
or higher. Older animals may require warmer
temperatures than younger ones.
During summer, cats and dogs handle the heat in different ways. Cats clearly enjoy
warmer temperatures than dogs, and they do a good job of reducing their activity level as
temperatures climb. But both cats and dogs can get overheated. The USDA says that room
temperatures in facilities housing dogs or cats should not exceed 85 degrees F for more
than four hours at a time. 
This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency.
For more information on house pets and energy, please visit: collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.
Statement of Nondiscrimination
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the
USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions
participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited
from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion,
sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs,
or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program
or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to
all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by
program or incident.
Person with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the
responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202)720-2600
(voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service
at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be
made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online
at http://www.ascr.usda.qov/complaint filing cust.html and at any
USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the
letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a
copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your
completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intakeusda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
co-opliving.com
July 2019 | Cooperative Living | 27
PATRICIA HEBERT PHOTO
TORSTEN DETTLAFF PHOTO

http://www.ascr.usda.qov/complaint http://program.intakeusda.gov http://www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips http://www.co-opliving.com

Cooperative Living July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living July 2019