OUR TOP 10 RESOLUTIONS FOR WINTER SAFETY:

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, contract infections, diseases or become lost, stolen, injured or killed. PLUS, the life of indoor cats is statistically significantly longer than that of outdoor cats.

2. Antifreeze is LETHAL for dogs and cats. Be sure to clean up any spills from your vehicle and use products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.

3. More dogs are lost during the winter than any other season, so make sure yours always wear ID tags. If your pet will be exposed to snow or ice, especially during a snow storm, he can lose his scent and become lost.

4. Wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws and his pads may bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

5. When you bathe your dog, dry him completely before taking him out.

6. NEVER leave your pet alone in the car. The vehicle can hold in the cold, causing your pet to freeze to death.

7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold and may be difficult to housebreak. You may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

8. If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him and his fur in tip-top shape.

9. If you park outside, bang on the hood before starting the car. Outdoor cats sometimes sleep underneath for warmth and can be injured by the fan belt.

10. Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WINTER SAFETY AND HELPFUL TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR ANIMALS COMFORTABLE, VISIT: http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/current/features/0201073.html