Here in Illinois we have had a couple of snow falls already and ultimately it's a slipper slope because with the dramatic decrease in temperature comes blankets of ice!  This means skidding cars, bruised body parts and egos from falls and sore paws for many of our furry friends.  Winter can be brutal on pets and  homeless or wild animals as frostbite and hypothermia are of major concerns.  Many of us simply use salt to rid our sidewalks of ice, but this can also be detrimental to many animals.  Some of these salts are extremely drying and many deicers can cause extreme pain or may even be toxic to animals if ingested.  One thing that you can do to help alleviate the harshness of winter is to use deicers that are non toxic to animals and gentle on their feet and paw pads.  Although my dogs hate them, this is also a great opportunity to use those adorable pet booties that have been in storage all summer!