Winter Pet Advisory & Upcoming Classes
Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is reminding pet owners and community cat caretakers to take extra precautions during frigid temperatures and to follow local requirements when animals are outdoors.
City ordinance requires animals to be brought into a temperature-controlled structure when temperatures fall below 10 degrees and when a local, state, or national authority has issued a wind chill warning. Per ordinance, animals cannot remain outside for longer than 15 minutes without access to adequate shelter and potable, unfrozen water, no matter the temperature. FWACC urges pet owners to continually monitor both the weather and the needs of their pets whenever animals are outside.
For winter walks, FWACC recommends avoiding ponds and ice, watching for signs of pain while walking, and cleaning and checking paws after returning home. Walks should be kept short, and coats are encouraged for older and short-haired dogs.
If a dog or cat spends time outdoors, FWACC advises providing shelter from the elements. Shelters should have solid walls, a floor, and a roof to protect animals from weather and drafts. Straw is recommended as an insulator to help pets stay warm inside their shelter. Animal Care and Control is also offering free straw, while supplies last, to any Fort Wayne city resident needing animal bedding during the winter.
Community cat providers are encouraged to build shelters to help keep community cats safe and warm, and instructions on how to build a shelter can be found on the FWACC website. FWACC also notes that community cat spay and neuter surgery is not recommended in frigid temperatures and can be dangerous in some instances. Additional winter safety tips are available at fwacc.org.
As FWACC continues its winter outreach and education efforts, the shelter is also inviting residents to take part in a low-cost training series focused on better understanding canine behavior.
FWACC will once again host canine communication classes in 2026, covering topics including canine body language, living with fearful dogs, and understanding canine aggression. Training will be led by Lindsay Pease, a CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA accredited dog trainer and consultant, and FWACC Deputy Director of Medical and Shelter Operations Laura Rowe. The cost is $15 per session, with all proceeds donated to the FWACC Angel Fund.
“The Canine Communication classes are passion-driven, low-cost educational opportunities designed to support individuals working with common behavior and training challenges inside the home, in a career, or even in a volunteer capacity,” Rowe said.
Upcoming classes include Thursday, February 5, 2026, Canine Body Language; Thursday, February 12, 2026, Understanding Canine Aggression; Monday, February 23, 2026, Dog-to-Dog Communication; and Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Canine Body Language.
Registration is available in the What’s Barking section of fwacc.org, on the Pet Behavior Help page of the website, and on the shelter’s Facebook page. Space is limited, and early registration is recommended. FWACC said new classes will be added as they become available.
FWACC is an open access shelter and states it will never turn away an animal. Anyone struggling to care for an animal can contact the shelter for assistance. More information about city ordinances, the adoption process, surrendering an animal, and ways to support FWACC, including donating or volunteering, is available at fwacc.org.
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