Winter’s chill may have settled in your neighborhood, but your energetic pooch still wants to go for walks in the great outdoors. Take it slow and steady, pet parents. According to our experts, the danger of stray voltage on city streets can turn a simple stroll into a devastating event for our furry friends.
Most common in northern climes and urban areas, stray voltage occurs when dormant utilities leak excess electricity. Combined with wet streets and salt-based ice melts, this current can shock, injure or even prove fatal for those in its path. “Since salt used to treat icy streets is a great conductor of electricity,” says Dr. Louise Murray, ASPCA Director of Medicine and author of Vet Confidential, “the risk of shock from stray voltage is that much higher during the winter months.”

To read the full article and learn more, go to http://www.wendtworthcorgis.com and click on News Blog. Stay warm and safe!!

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Just out of curiosity, have you ever personally heard of this happening? I'm sure it could happen on rare occasion, but I've honestly never heard of it ever before. I've lived my entire life in "cold northern climates" of North Dakota and Minnesota where a whole lot of salt is used, have been around dogs my entire life, and literally have never heard of this happening. I just wonder how prevalent it really is? I'm sure the ASPCA is a reliable source but the article had no mention of any statistics regarding this kind of "shock" occurrence. Do you have any statistics to show how common this is?
This is a warning to caution you of this. Not everything needs a high statistic rate for a warning to come out. Just like w/the antifreeze warning or the grapes and raisin warning..maybe if the warnings had gotten out there sooner just to make one stop and think and to be cautious not so many would of found out the hard way. It is also not uncommon for when temperatures warm up to have transformers blow up because of the salt that is drying up and lifting into the air collecting the moisture to the transformer. Just like Basils Law w/the trapping in ditches...I've never knew traps were allowed in the ditches and neither did many. People waiting for transit standing on a platform being electrocuted when the surface is wet. Just a couple of years ago my girlfriend w/a couple of other horses were in an indoor arena and the back corner had flooded..the horses acted spooky but owners made the horses continue..2 horses died from electricution. Don't hear that every day and possibly would of never thought about it but once you hear of it...It'll make you stop and think.
2 more incidents just last night from Toronto.
Thank you for the update Sam. My husband has been discussing this issue w/some of his electrician friends and some of them debating the fact. Thanks again. Glad the dogs are okay.
I just received a comment on this article on my web blog you may find interesting. It is quite lengthy and some of it was confusing to me but states hes a reliable source.
Looks like the writer is from New York City, where there are a lot of old wirings. In the original post by ASPCA, she wrote down a contact number to report incidence in the New York area.

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