If you live in the Northeast or Midwest, you certainly don’t need a reminder that we are in the throes of a very difficult winter. Snow has fallen at a record pace in the Boston area, where I live, and temperatures have routinely dipped into dangerous territories over wide swaths of the country.

This weekend, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, pet adoption drives, like one we featured here on Thursday involving PetSmart Charities, are certain to bring a wave of first-time dog owners into the fold. And while it may seem obvious to protect a new pup –- or even an older pet –- from the effects of the cold, the ASPCA has put out an animated infographic as a reminder to keep pets safe.

The graphic not only includes ways to protect your pet in chilly weather –- including important tips about grooming and paw protection — but also has vital information on how to help dogs that may be left out in dangerously cold conditions or cats that are living outdoors.

For more cold weather safety tips, please visit the ASPCA’s Pet Care section. The ASPCA reminds you that if see an animal outdoors and in need of assistance in cold temperatures, you should contact your local shelter or law enforcement agency.

Read more dog news on Dogster:

• Watch This Dog Owner Slip on Ice After Laughing at His Pup Who Slipped on Ice
• Man Sues Neighbor Over Barking Dog — and Wins $500,000
• Just in Time for Valentine’s Day: The Doggy Love Index

About the author: Jeff Goldberg is a freelance writer in Quincy, Mass. A former editor for MLB.com and sportswriter for the Hartford Courant who covered the University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team (Huskies!) and the Boston Red Sox, Jeff has authored two books on the UConn women: Bird at the Buzzer (2011) and Unrivaled (2015). He lives with his wife, Susan, and their rescue pup, Rocky, an Italian Greyhuahua/Jack Russell mix from a foster home in Tennessee, hence the name Rocky (as in Rocky Top).