After finding dogs sick and shivering with no protection from blistering winds and frigid temperatures this winter, PETA will host a straw giveaway in Windsor on Thursday, at which residents can pick up one free bag of insulating straw bedding per dog kept chained or penned outdoors. Cold weather heightens the risk of frostbite, hypothermia, and even death for these dogs, and PETA points out that overnight lows are expected to dip back into the 30s.

Where: The parking lot at the Bertie County YMCA, 1102 N. King St., Windsor

When: Thursday, February 8, 2–5 p.m.

“PETA has found dogs cold and miserable every day this winter and is working to make it illegal in Bertie County to keep dogs chained outside 24/7,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “Although the best way to keep dogs warm and safe is by keeping them indoors with the rest of the family, PETA is offering these dogs a small measure of protection to make the bitterly cold weather more bearable.”

 For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.