People are leaving dogs to freeze to death as icy ‘bomb cyclone’ hits US

Police in Hartford, Connecticut charged a woman on Thursday with animal cruelty in connection with a grim New Year’s Day discovery: A dog chained to a small shelter outside a home – and frozen solid.

The incident was one of several similar deaths reported in recent days as bitter cold grips the eastern United States, prompting animal rescue organisations and local authorities to issue warnings about giving pets shelter.

Several of the deaths occurred in Ohio. In Toledo, a dog was found frozen to death on a front porch last week. Three other frozen dogs were discovered over two days this week in Franklin County, Ohio, a shelter told a local television station.

Authorities in Butler County, north of the Ohio city of Cincinnati, said on Wednesday they had charged the owners of one deceased dog with cruelty to a companion animal.

“The dog was found in an outside kennel with no insulation. The dog was frozen to death due to the severe cold weather,” read a Facebook post from the office of county sheriff Richard Jones.

“Sheriff Jones would like to remind everyone that freezing to death is a horrible way for an animal to die.”