Animal manage searches for cold dogs

This kind of cold is life-threatening to people and pets. Animal control officers with Albuquerque's Animal Welfare Department have been flooded with calls the past two days about dogs left outside. More than 100 tips have been called in to Animal Welfare since Monday. In a ride-along with animal control officers, News 13 saw some of those dogs left outside in the single digit temps. Albert Benavides has seen a lot in his five years as an animal manage officer, but this is some of the coldest weather he said he's ever seen.

“When I clocked in today at 1pm it was 4 degrees,” Benavides said. Which means it’s determining up to is one of his busiest days, investigating tips of Pets animals left outside in the cold? Officer Benavides said the cold weather can also leave dogs thirsty because of frozen water bowls. Benavides spends a lot of time trying to decipher the tips that come in. “If we can get some good solid addresses and descriptions of the animals, that makes it a little bit easier,” he said. If you see an animal left outside, you can call 311 to report it. Animal Control officers won't take a dog unless it's in instant danger, or unless no one's home.