A cold front has set up shop across much of the United States, including the South, where substantial snow has fallen in unlikely places like Houston, New Orleans, and Pensacola. As this deep freeze continues, officials are reporting that many people aren’t doing a good job keeping their pets safe.

FOX 7 in Austin reports that there were around 30 citations issued in the city early in the week due to people leaving pets outside or in cars. 

It was even worse in San Antonio, with Lisa Norwood from San Antonio Animal Care Services telling the news station on Wednesday, "We've actually written so many citations in the last couple of days that they're still putting those together. I can tell you that it is over 50, probably approaching the 60-70 mark.” 

Meanwhile, much further north in Massachusetts, officials were also warning people to stop leaving their dogs in their cars when the weather turns frigid.

Dedham Animal Control said on its Facebook page that it had been receiving calls about dogs being stuck in cars while their owners run errands or eat out. They said this is against the law, and people can be cited for it.

They wrote, “About a week ago, a dog was left inside a motor vehicle while its owners sat at a bar inside a local establishment, from at least 5:30pm until a little after 8:00pm. It was 24 degrees outside as it neared 8:00pm. The restaurant manager, whom we applaud for her position, advised the dog’s owners that even though they started the vehicle a few times, their staff was uncomfortable monitoring the dog all evening [for them] and that if there is a next time, the establishment will choose animal welfare over patronage.”

The agency said they’d also received a call from a concerned passerby when someone had left two dogs in a car in 18-degree weather while they shopped. The post notes that remote starts, climate control, and “it was just for a few minutes” aren’t good excuses in the heat or the cold.

The ASPCA says cars can be especially effective at holding the cold in, which can cause pets to freeze to death.

So, when it’s cold out, be sure to keep your pets safe in a warm home.