PETA’s fieldworkers visited dozens of dogs in just one weekend as temperatures hit dangerous lows across North Carolina. Many dogs left outside were emaciated, with little or no shelter and their water bowls frozen over. PETA fieldworkers persuaded some owners to bring the animals inside and, when unable to convince others, did everything in their power to help improve the dogs’ living conditions. Meet just a few of the dogs we helped, and find out how you can take action for animals left outside in dangerous weather conditions.

Meet Four of the Many Dogs PETA Fieldworkers Helped During Dangerously Cold Weekend

1. Teddy

We secured the relinquishment of Teddy, who was chained outside on one of the coldest days of the year.

Our friends at the Chesapeake Humane Society took him in for a chance at adoption.

2. Stella

Stella was found emaciated with painful pressure sores on her backside.

She spent the night at PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters, the Sam Simon Center, before heading to the Virginia Beach SPCA for a chance at adoption.

3. Lil Boy

When dogs’ owners refuse to relinquish the animals or bring them inside, we do our best to move them out of the path of the blistering wind and refresh their water bowls. We also provide straw bedding to help keep them dry and better insulated—as we did for Lil Boy.

4. Cecilia

We visited Cecilia, who had already been provided with a custom-made PETA doghouse because her family refuses to bring her indoors. While a doghouse isn’t an adequate substitute for a real home, it makes a world of difference to dogs like her, who previously had nowhere to escape from extreme temperatures.

How You Can Help Dogs Like Lil Boy, Cecilia, and Others Left Outside in Severe Weather

PETA works with kind people across the country to advocate for tethering bans in their communities. One effective way to help “backyard dogs” is to work with elected representatives to pass ordinances that ban or restrict chaining dogs. To get started, see what current legislation on tethering exists in your community.

Dogs should never be left outside unattended, but when they’re outside and deprived of access to water or shelter, the situation becomes an emergency—and local authorities should be contacted immediately. If they’re unresponsive, contact PETA for help. Anyone who leaves animals outside to suffer in severe weather may face criminal charges. Dogs’ well-being—and even their lives—could depend on you.