Quote Originally Posted by aTailOf2Kitties View Post
if she can't afford proper doghouses, she should at least get some plastic totes with a doorway cut out of them. Those are cheap, easy to come by, and washable.
Good idea! I'll suggest this to her.

Quote Originally Posted by phesina View Post
Oh the Channel 4 news last evening there was a feature on Michigan Humane Society cruelty investigators going out and picking up dogs and cats that had been left outside in the brutal cold here and had become seriously injured or even frozen to death.

They said that if a pet must live outside in this weather, it needs an enclosed shelter such as a dog house, with straw in it for warm bedding and insulation because towels or blankets can easily become wet and then freeze, leaving the animal with a bed of ice to lay down on.
I will also tell her about the straw. Thanks for the ideas everyone!