Attention dog owners! We're sure you all love your pooches and would never want harm to come to them, and now the government is getting involved to help make sure of that. Especially if you have an outdoor dog or cat, you'll want to take note of this.

In response to the high number of dogs who died last winter because they were left outside in sub-zero temperatures, the state of Illinois has passed a new law making harsher punishments for pet owners who don't properly look after their animals. If a pet is seriously injured or dies as a result of being left in extreme weather, the owner can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. That can get you up to a $2,500 fine and a year in jail if you're completely heartless and you decide to leave your poor puppy to suffer in the snow. You monster.

The new law takes effect on January 1, 2016. It's the hope that the law brings awareness to the problem of leaving pets in extreme weather more than it actually has to be enforced.  Dogs certainly look durable with all that hair or fur, but they are just as susceptible as humans are to frost bite and worse. So if you need any more incentive to keep your pets safe this winter other than how much you love them, just remember: it might cost you.

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