CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — When the temperature plunged below freezing and stayed there for hours on end in February of 2021, Corpus Christi resident Tristan Talley's dog, Pepper, hadn't even been born yet.
Now, with a strong cold front in the forecast for late this week, Talley hopes all pet-owners follow his lead in making sure their furry friends aren't exposed to the potentially deadly weather.
“She’s an inside dog, so I really don’t worry about that too much," he said. "But anybody that’s got an outside dog, I would advise them to take precautions for that."
Fellow Corpus Christi resident and dog-owner, Annahy Hernandez, will do just that.
“I do have two Chihuahuas," she said. "They are very tiny, so they need to be like really really warm.”
Both Hernandez and Talley enjoyed a relatively warm day at Cole Park Monday, but by week's end, the weather won't be as agreeable for outdoor activities.
Corpus Christi city leaders are well aware, and they're already getting to work to get the city prepared.
“We actually met this morning," Emergency Management Coordinator Billy Delgado said. "Talked to the National Weather Service. They gave us a quick briefing on what we can expect, and the city is very proactive on these weather events.”
Right now, the city's individual departments — like homeless services, water utilities, and streets — are coming up with their specific plans for ensuring the city's preparedness for frigid weather.
In the coming days, those plans will come together and the departments will put on a unified front — working out of the city's Emergency Operations Center if needed.
"That’s what we want to do — make sure that the public is well taken care of,” Delgado said.
There are preparations Delgado hopes residents will do around their homes as well. In addition to protecting pets, he says to also remember your pipes, plants, and — most importantly — people who might not have access to adequate heat.
Talley plans to make a store run to stock up on essentials.
“I might (buy) food, water, stuff like that," he said. "Just simple things.”
Hernandez has a similar shopping list with one additional item to help keep herself and her two kids warm.
"Hot chocolate," she said laughing.
