All year long, animal shelters depend on donations from the community to ensure the animals stay healthy and find forever homes. That need grows significantly during the winter.

Pearl River County SPCA President Maria Diamond said the shelter is currently seeking donations from the community in order to keep their animals warm and safe this winter.

“The donations we get one year may not be usable the next year. We receive blankets at the shelter, but they wear out, so we need donations every year,” Diamond said.

In order to keep the animals at the shelter safe in cold weather, Diamond said they group the outside adult dogs together and provide them with insulated doghouses.

“We wish we could bring everyone inside, however we do bring puppies inside, but we don’t have enough space for all of them,” Diamond said.

The shelter is currently collecting several items for their outdoor and indoor animals including, blankets, towels, dog beds and insulated outdoor doghouses, said Rhonda Furby, PRC SPCA director of community outreach.

“There’s an Igloo-shaped doghouse that’s placed outside and the shape of it holds in the heat, so outdoor animals can stay warm from the cold weather,” Furby said.

The shelter currently has several of those doghouses, but needs more, Furby said.

Donations can be dropped off at the shelter, which is located at 1700 Palestine Road, Picayune.

Diamond said pet owners can also take the necessary steps to make sure their pets stay warm this winter. She offered the following tips:

—Keep pets inside as much as possible.

—Don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather.

—Consider purchasing a sweater for any short-hair breed of dog.

—Papertrain puppies inside if they appear to be sensitive to the weather.

—Increase food supply for outdoor dogs, particularly protein, to keep their fur thick and healthy.

—Leave the coat long to provide more warmth and insulation from the cold.

—Make sure pets have a warm place to sleep, such as a dog or cat bed or basket with a warm blanket.

— If pets must remain outside, provide them with an insulated pet house or shelter.

—Always have fresh, clean water available for outdoor pets and check it frequently since it may freeze.

For more information, call the PRC SPCA at 601-798-8000.