LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While snow and below-freezing temperatures blanketed Arkansas on Thursday, people around the state found ways to stay warm.
And they weren't the only ones.
Just like people, pets and animals also fought the cold weather as the below-freezing temperatures are just as dangerous for them.
"A lot of people assume that we are different from animals and that we get colder because animals have fur. And that is absolutely a myth," Debbie Howell with the Pulaski County Humane Society said.
Howel said that animals left outside too long in freezing conditions can be life-threatening.
"Hypothermia is absolutely something to be concerned about," Howell said.
Howell also said if animals are lethargic, that could be a sign of hypothermia and that it's best to seek professional care.
"It is a killer," Howell said.
According to Howell, nobody should be leaving animals outside for it to even get to that point.
"I think you would definitely be guilty of neglect," Howell said. "It is punished, it is a crime."
Howell said some dogs handle the cold better than others, but it's still dangerous for all of them to be outside for too long.
"The smaller the animal, the harder it is for them to fight off the cold," Howell said.
Pets aren't the only ones impacted. The Little Rock Zoo closed its gates and moved all the animals indoors to keep them safe.
"That kind of extreme cold is really dangerous for them just like it is for us," Little Rock Zoo Director Susan Altrui said. "That's not something we can easily become acclimated to. That's really where we get into danger. We have to stay inside."
Altrui said none of the animals are accustomed to these below-freezing temperatures.
"A lot of people think that our penguins would be just fine in this kind of weather," Altrui said. "But that's actually not true. Our penguins are actually warm-weather birds and they do not like these cold temperatures."
According to Altrui, all the animals at the Little Rock Zoo will stay inside for a couple more days until it warms up. The zoo and its GloWild event are set to reopen on Monday.
"We do everything we can to make sure that they are also warm and snug and doing well," Altrui said.
Howell encourages anyone who sees an animal being neglected and left outside in the cold to call their local animal control agency.