It’s a Felony to Leave Your Dog Out in the Cold in These States

In much of the country, we’ve reached the part of winter that’s a little less let’s-go-ice-skating and a little more let’s-never-leave-our-blanket-fort-again. The beginning of 2025 brought with it a major winter storm that slammed much of the U.S. with ice and snow. And, on the heels of that unwelcome weather, the South is getting a rare blast of a wintry mix this weekend. As much as the instinct is to close your eyes and hide under your bed until this passes, pet parents have to face the flurries head on by figuring out how they are going to keep their pets safe.

First of all, pups have to go outside just to pee, and there’s no getting around it (unless they somehow learned how to use the toilet like the cat in Meet the Parents). But when temps get harshly cold, your pup’s time outside should be kept to a minimum. In these types of conditions, dogs and humans alike are at risk of bodily harm if they stay outside too long. But it’s actually illegal for dogs to be left outside in the cold unattended for long periods of time — and in more than eight states, it can even be considered a felony. 

Why is it dangerous to leave dogs in the cold? 

Like humans, dogs are at risk of frostbite if they’re exposed to frigid weather — and it doesn’t even have to be freezing out for frostbite to set in. “Frostbite can develop at temperatures above freezing if there is a severe wind chill or exposure to water,” veterinarian Dr. Bartley Harrison recently wrote for Kinship. “Without a steady blood supply, cells begin to die off. Water in the exposed tissues can also freeze, causing the cells to rupture.” This results in extreme pain, swelling, blisters, and dead skin or tissue.

Another serious risk is hypothermia. Hypothermia progresses in stages, and “each stage of hypothermia results in worsening the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, maintain brain and heart function, and preserve blood flow,” Dr. Harrison wrote. “Dogs experiencing cold stress will become progressively lethargic, weak, and mentally dull.” Because it slows a pup’s heart rate and breathing, hypothermia can lead to serious results including cardiac failure, coma, and death.

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There are legal consequences of leaving dogs out in the cold.

Because of the risk of physical injury, leaving a dog unattended in the cold is considered animal neglect. Neglect is a form of animal cruelty defined by the Animal Legal Defense Fund as “the failure to provide basic care required for an animal to thrive.” Abandonment, hoarding, and failure to provide shelter are all examples of animal neglect. The consequence for these actions vary across the country and according to each specific case. In all 50 states, however, animal neglect is considered at least a misdemeanor — but some states carry more serious charges. 

In Massachusetts, any animal neglect case can be charged as a felony, with a potential prison sentence of up to seven years. Neglect can also be charged as a felony in any case in Oklahoma, where it carries a sentence of up to five years in prison or a $5,000 fine. 

In California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., animal neglect can be considered a felony if the situation results in the death of an animal. Animal neglect is a misdemeanor in Georgia, but it can carry a felony charge if malice is proven. 

In 2017, Pennsylvania passed Libre’s Law, which specifically made it a misdemeanor to tether a dog outside for more than 30 minutes in temperatures above 90 degrees or below 32 degrees; if a dog dies or is seriously injured, the case may be considered a felony. Many other states have anti-tethering laws, including California, Illinois, and Texas.

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This isn’t an exhaustive list, and each state has its own set of laws regarding animal cruelty. For example, in some states, such as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky, second convictions of animal cruelty can be considered felonies. In others, a felony may be applied in cases of extremely torturous conditions or when malice and intent can be proven.

Per the SPCA, in New York, “anyone with custody of a dog left outdoors must provide the dog with shelter appropriate to its breed, size, physical condition, and climate, adequately protecting the animal.” The New York law also states that dog parents are in violation if their dog is left outside in “inclement weather without ready access to, or the ability to enter a house, apartment building, office building, or any other permanent structure that meets the minimum standards for shelter required by this law.” Starting 72 hours of a charge of a violation, pet parents will get fined $50 to $100 for a first offense, then $100 to $250 for each following offense.

To find out your state’s laws regarding animal treatment, you can click around on the University of Michigan’s Animal Legal and Historic Center map.

Remember: If you’re cold, they’re cold.

Regardless of the legal ramifications, leaving an animal outside in the cold is extremely dangerous and cruel. It’s a meme, but it’s true: If you’re cold, they’re cold — bring them inside. If you see an animal abandoned out in low temps, the Humane Society recommends that you “take note of the date, time, exact location, and the type of animal(s) involved and write down as many details as possible about the situation.”

You can then contact your local animal control agency to file a report. Depending on your location, there may be other outreach services available; for example, in New York City, you can call 311 to report animal neglect.

References

• “Animal Neglect Facts: How to Help a Neighbors Neglected Animal.” Animal Legal Defense Fund, 2018, aldf.org/article/animal-neglect-facts/.

• “LAW CALLS for PROPER OUTDOOR ANIMAL SHELTERING in INCLEMENT WEATHER - Dog, Cat, Pet Adoption, Animal Shelter in Buffalo.” Yourspca.org, yourspca.org/newsevents/law-calls-for-proper-outdoor-animal-sheltering-in-inclement-weather/.

• “Massachusetts Law about Animals | Mass.gov.” Www.mass.gov, www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-animals.

• “State Animal Anti-Cruelty Laws | Animal Legal & Historical Center.” Www.animallaw.info, www.animallaw.info/content/state-animal-anti-cruelty-laws.

• “What to Do If You See a Pet Left out in the Cold.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/resources/what-do-if-you-see-pet-left-out-cold.