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17 simple steps you can take to help animals this winter.

As winter rolls along, it's important for everyone to stay warm.

Throughout this season, much of the United States has been buried under "crippling" amounts of snow and ice.


Meteorologist Louis Uccellini showing how little chance we have of escaping winter. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

So when one of those storms hits, stock up on hot chocolate, get under a blanket, and get ready to wait it out while you finally catch up on "Mad Men" (seriously, it ended ages ago what are you doing with your life?).

Just remember, while you're wrapped up all cozy and planning your best snowstorm Instagram post, there are other creatures out there who need to stay warm too.

Here are some things you can do to help your pets and other animals survive yet another winter wonderland.

1. Keep your pets indoors as much as possible.

The quickest, easiest way to make sure your pets are safe and warm during wintry weather is to keep them inside.

Outdoor cats will throw you some serious shade, and you'll obviously still have to walk your dog, but make sure all members of your family are inside while the worst of the winter apocalypse bellows through.

"Do ... do you think it's like this on the other side of the house?" Photo via iStock.

2. Dog sweaters! They're cute AND practical.

Who doesn't love a dog in a sweater? If a dog in a sweater were president, there'd be no more war. That's just a fact. Besides being adorable, dressing your dog up a little for their walk helps them avoid injury and hypothermia. Not to mention, it's just not fair for you to put on seven layers of clothing and then march your dog outside naked.

Short-haired dogs are especially sensitive to cold air, and wind chill can cause frostbite, which can lead to permanent damage. So dress your pup up beforehand.

This knitted pullover is perfect for all pup-ccasions, both casual and formal. Don't be caught playing dead without this chic little number. Photo by Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

3. Build an outdoor shelter for your pet.

If your pet spends most of their time outside and simply can't stand the thought of staying indoors all day, its important to have a winter-proof outdoor shelter for them.

Make sure it's dry and big enough for your pet to lie down comfortably. Also make sure it's raised a few inches above the ground for protection from the snow.


4. Don't forget about the stray cats in your neighborhood.

It's always a good idea to keep an eye out for neighborhood cats that spend most of their time outside. They may be feral or owned and just wandering.

If you see one, and can do so, offer them shelter in your home (if you have a screened-in porch and a box and some blankets, or even just a box and some towels to put out for them) and some food and water.

Stray cats may talk big, but even they can't entirely fend for themselves in winter storms.

"I'm not kidding, Steve. Tell them to let us in." "I'm barking, Marge. Don't you see me barking?!" Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images.

5. If you're driving anywhere, check under the hood of your car before you turn it on.

Your car's engine is a warm, dry place where small animals might seek shelter. Small cats, chipmunks, and squirrels have been known to crawl up under the hoods of cars and fall asleep while checking your oil.

To avoid hurting them, check under your hood and bang around a bit to scare them off before starting the car.

"Your PSI is a little low. Also your rear taillight is broken. I'll let you off with a warning." Photo via iStock.

6. Protect your dog's paws from salt.

The salt used to melt ice and snow can be harmful to your pets. If it gets on their paws, it might sting, and if they attempt to lick it off, it can be dangerous if ingested.

Make sure you wipe your pet's paws with a damp towel if they've been around salt.

Booties can also protect your dogs paws, with the advantage of being cute as hell. Plus you get to say the word "booty" as much as you want. Photo by David Hecker/AFP/Getty Images.

7. Build a brush pile for wild animals to shelter in.

If you have a yard that isn't buried in snow yet, get out there and build a brush pile out of leaves and sticks. Believe it or not, small animals and insects will find it and use it as shelter from the cold.

Think about it this way: Your lawn is a place where trees and bushes used to be. So when the snow comes, the animals in the area have fewer places to take refuge. Help them out by giving them a little bit of nature back.

See how stressed he is? Photo via iStock.

8. You may need to feed your pet more food than usual.

Of course your pets always need food and water, but in the winter when it's cold, they'll burn more calories to stay warm.

Keep them well fed and hydrated and they'll be a lot more comfortable.

"So he started drinking and before you know it, there was potato salad everywhere. I knew we shouldn't have invited him." Photo by Frederick Florin/AFP/Getty Images.

9. Provide water for wild animals whose usual water source may have frozen over.

Making sure your own pets have water during the storm is important, but it's also a good idea to have a fresh water source outside for other animals.

When it's freezing, water will ... well you know. This leaves birds and small creatures with much fewer reliable sources of water. Putting a water source outside with a safe heating element to make sure it doesn't freeze will save local animals a lot of grief.

"I swear there was a pond here two days ago." "Yeah well it's not here NOW, IS IT, TERRY?" Photo via iStock.

10. Always buy nontoxic antifreeze.

Antifreeze has a sweet smell and taste that can be very attractive to animals, especially hungry animals looking to escape the cold. However, it's highly poisonous if consumed, so buying a nontoxic brand is an easy way to make sure it won't harm a creature who just wanted a nice dinner.

You can also buy antifreeze with "denatonium benzoate" — a bittering agent that won't attract wildlife.

Looks like liquid bubblegum. Tastes like liquid poison. Photo via iStock.

11. Dry your pets off when they come in from outside.

Keeping your pet dry is a key way to make sure they don't freeze — especially after a long walk or when they come inside. When you and your dog come back from a walk or a quick run through the snow, dry them off with a towel and get all the snow out from between their toes.

You wouldn't want to be soaking wet in the freezing cold. Your pets probably don't like it either.

"This displeases me. My dad is the president. I shouldn't have to deal with this." Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.

12. Let your pet's fur grow out for the winter.

If you regularly shave or cut your dog's hair, let them go au natural during the winter. It will help them stay insulated and warm. Plus, exposed skin on an animal can increase its chances of frostbite and hypothermia.

They call him Mr. Boombastic. Get it? Shaggy? Photo via iStock.

13. Combat your pet's skin's dryness with a humidifier.

If your pet is regularly coming in from the cold snow to your dry, heated home, they might get dry skin, which can be very irritating and cause a lot of discomfort.

A good way to combat against this is to keep a humidifier in your home. Just like you do for your own skin.

Steam: air with gravitas. Photo via iStock.

14. Regular grooming year-round can help when a winter storm hits.

Believe it or not, regularly brushing your pets and keeping them groomed can help keep them safe come blizzard time.

Brushing improves circulation, which helps keep them warm and combats the aforementioned skin dryness (in case you don't have a humidifier on hand) — not to mention that healthy clean fur helps your pets insulate better, which keeps them nice and toasty.

Fab. You. Lusssss. Photo by Hendrik Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images.

15. Don't leave your pets alone if you're traveling.

This might seem like an obvious one, but if it's below freezing, you really shouldn't leave your pets alone in the house while you ski for a week. Either take your pet with you or have someone else take care of them.

A pet left alone in a freezing house is susceptible to hypothermia and could freeze to death.

I swear I passed that tree before. Photo via iStock.

16. If you do brave the snow for a w-a-l-k, keep your dog on a leash.

Dogs rely on scents to help them get around — but when the ground is covered in snow, they can lose those familiar scents and are more likely to get lost.

When you take your dog for a walk, keep it business-only and don't let them wander too far away.

Wow. Much snow. Very winter. Photo by Patrick Domingo/AFP/Getty Images.

Finally. And most importantly:

17. Speak out if you see a pet left outside.

No pet deserves to be left out in the cold. If you see one, let their owner know that you're concerned. If nothing changes, get proactive and report it to your local animal control agency or the police. Document the date, time, and location and take pictures. Make no mistake: Animal abuse is a crime.

Don't be afraid to call 911 if that's your only option.


Winter can be tough for everyone. The best way to think about taking care of animals is this: Don't let your animal be subjected to anything you wouldn't want to be subjected to yourself.

You wouldn't go outside without a coat on, so don't let your dog. You wouldn't want all your water sources to freeze over, so don't let it happen to animals.

You have the luxury of a heated home and reliable food. Other animals might not have that, so once you've got your winter storm prep down, take a second to think about them.

For more information on how you can help animals during the winter, check out the Humane Society website as well as the ASPCA.

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Three women, three MS journeys: How multiple sclerosis looks different for everyone

Gina, Nathalie and Helga share their reactions to being diagnosed with MS and how they stay informed and positive in the face of ever-changing symptoms.

Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga, Nathalie and Gina all have MS, and their experiences show how differently the disease can manifest.

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It’s been 155 years since neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot gave the first lecture on a mysterious progressive illness he called “multiple sclerosis.” Since then, we’ve learned a lot. We know MS causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, including damaging the brain and spinal cord. Resulting symptoms can be debilitating and include fatigue, blurred vision, memory problems and weakness. Huge advancements in our understanding of MS and its underlying causes, as well as treatment advances, have been made in the past few decades, but MS remains a complex and unpredictable reality for the 2.8 million+ people diagnosed around the world.

Ironically, the only real constant for people living with MS is change. There’s no set pattern or standard progression of the disease, so each person’s experience is unique. Some people with MS have mild symptoms that worsen slowly but sometimes improve, while others can have severe symptoms that drastically alter their daily lives.

All people with MS share some things in common, however, such as the need to stay informed on the ever-evolving research, find various lines of support and try to remain hopeful as they continue living with the disease.

To better understand what navigating life with MS really looks like, three women shared their MS stories with us. Their journeys demonstrate how MS can look different for different people and interestingly, how the language used to talk about the disease can greatly impact how people understand their realities.

woman with horse, woman riding horseGina loves riding her horse, Benita.Courtesy of Sanofi

Gina—Hamburg, Germany (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2017)

When her youngest son was 4 months old, Gina started having problems with her eye. She’d soon learn she was experiencing optic neuritis—her first symptom of MS.

“Immediately after the diagnosis, I looked up facts on MS because I didn’t know anything about it,” Gina says. “And as soon as I knew what could really happen with this disease, I actually got scared.”

As her family’s primary income provider, she worried about how MS would impact her ability to work as a writer and editor. Her family was afraid she was going to end up in a wheelchair. However, for now, Gina’s MS is managed well enough that she still works full-time and is able to be active.

“When I tell somebody that I have MS, they often don't believe me the first time because I don't fulfill any stereotypes,” she says.

Overwhelmed by negative perspectives on living with MS, Gina sought support in the online MS community, which she found to be much more positive.

“I think it’s important to use as many positive words as you can when talking about MS.” It’s important to be realistic while also conveying hope, she says. “MS is an insidious disease that can cause many bad symptoms…that can be frightening, and you can't gloss over it, either.”

To give back to the online community that helped her so much, Gina started a blog to share her story and help others trying to learn about their diagnosis.

Though she deals with fatigue and cognitive dysfunction sometimes, Gina stays active swimming, biking, riding horses and playing with her sons, who are now 11 and 6.

Cognitive dysfunction is common in MS, with over half of people affected. It can impact memory, attention, planning, and word-finding. As with many aspects of MS, some people experience mild changes, while others face more challenges.

Gina says that while there’s still a lot of education about MS needed, she feels positive about the future of MS because there’s so much research being done.

woman in wheelchair holding medal, woman rowingNathalie is an award-winning rower with multiple international titles.Courtesy of Sanofi

Nathalie — Pennes Mirabeau, France (diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2002)

Nathalie was a teenager and a competitive athlete when she noticed her first symptoms of MS, but it would take four years of “limbo” before she was diagnosed.

“Ultimately, the diagnosis was more of a relief, than a shock,” she says. “Because when you have signs and you don’t know why, it’s worse than knowing, in the end, what you have.”

However, learning more about the disease—and the realities of disease progression—scared her.

“That glimpse of the future was direct and traumatic,” she says. Her neurologist explained that the disease evolves differently for everyone, and her situation might end up being serious or very mild. So, she decided to stop comparing herself to others with MS.

She said to herself, “We’ll see what happens, and you’ll manage it bit by bit.”

By 2005, Nathalie’s MS had progressed to the point of needing a wheelchair. However, that has not dampened her competitive spirit.

Nathalie began her international rowing career in 2009 and has won multiple world titles, including two Paralympic medals—silver in London and bronze in Tokyo. Now, at 42, she still trains 11 times a week. Fatigue can be a problem, and sometimes hard workouts leave her with muscle stiffness and shaking, but she credits her ongoing sports career for helping her feel in tune with her body’s signals.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen to my body, letting my body guide when I need to stop and take breaks,” she says.

Nathalie explains that she used to only look backwards because of the initial shock of her diagnosis. In time, she stopped thinking about what she couldn’t do anymore and focused on her future. She now lives in the following mindset: “Even when doors close, don’t miss out on those that open.” Instead of focusing on what she can’t do, she focuses on the opportunities she still has. Right now, this includes her training for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where she will compete for another rowing medal.

“I only go forward,” she says. “Well, I try, anyway…It’s easy to say, it’s not always easy to do. But that’s what I try to do.”

woman exiting water after swimming, woman with great daneHelga's Great Dane has become a helpful and beloved companion.Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga—Johannesburg, South Africa (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2010)

When Helga first started having balance issues and numbness in her feet, she chalked it up to her training as a runner. But when the numbness moved to her face, she knew something was wrong. She never guessed it was MS.

“When I was diagnosed, I felt completely overwhelmed and clueless,” Helga says. “I felt that I had nowhere near enough information. I did not know anything about the disease…I had no idea that it was going to be a process of continually monitoring and adjusting your lifestyle.”

In the beginning, Helga’s symptoms developed slowly, and she didn’t appear ill to others. She was even able to run for a few years after her diagnosis, but she couldn’t do marathons anymore, and she began to fall frequently due to balance issues and right-foot dragging. Then her cognition issues became more problematic, especially in her job as a trainer in a printing company.

“My executive function, decision-making and short-term memory were affected to the point that I was eventually medically unfit for work,” she says. She stopped working in 2017.

However, she didn’t stop living life. Even though she could no longer run, she continued to swim competitively. She got a Great Dane puppy and trained him as a service dog to help her walk. She also serves as vice chair of the patient support organization Multiple Sclerosis South Africa, and she advises others who have been diagnosed to join a patient advocacy group as soon as possible to get reliable information and meet others with MS.

Helga says she is “hopeful” about the future of MS. “I must say that I am so grateful that we have all the new medications available, because my life would not be the same if it wasn't for that,” she adds.

Part of how she manages her MS is by looking at the positives.

“If I could tell the world one thing about MS, it would be that MS is an incurable disease of the nervous system, but it's also the greatest teacher of valuing your health, family, friends, and managing change in your life,” she says. “My life is diversified in a way that I never, ever thought it would, and MS has been honestly the greatest teacher.”

Each MS journey is unique – with each person impacted experiencing different struggles, successes, and feelings as they manage this unpredictable disease. But the common thread is clear – there is a critical need for information, support, and hope. We are proud to participate in World MS Day and share these incredible stories of living life while living with MS. To learn more about MS, go to https://www.sanofi.com/why-words-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-multiple-sclerosis.

MAT-GLB-2301642-v1.0-05/2023

This article was sponsored by Sanofi. Participants were compensated when applicable.

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