Winter is a harsh time for animals. As the temperature drops, more food is required in order to keep warm. Many animals minimize the energy required by going into hibernation. These tend to be animals whose food supply is not readily available during the winter months. However all animals, whether hibernators or not, require access to water. This can be a constant hazard in winter, when the temperature drops below freezing and when snow starts to fall. Small water sources freeze rapidly. Licking ice and eating snow is dangerous and can lead to hypothermia. Wild animals have a particularly hard time of it and during the winter months, bird lovers put out nuts and fatty foods to give the birds the extra energy they need to survive the winter.
The main problem facing animals is not food shortages but a lack of access to drinking water. Whilst the age old tactic of placing a floating object in a water bowl will help prevent ice formation, the only way of ensuring free access consistently is by using a heated water bowl. These bowls run from mains electricity; a heating element in the base of the bowl will ensure that water never freezes, even during the coldest of winter nights. For bird lovers, offering a supply of warm water in winter will ensure that more birds visit your garden, which is a delight to watch. If you set up a bird table outside your kitchen window, you can watch the birds bathing and drinking whilst you do the washing up or prepare meals. Due to the small water volumes required to be heated, a heated water bowl is not going to cost much to run. Models are equipped with a thermostat to ensure that they do not overheat, and some can be set to even quite low temperatures, say 1º-2ºC, enough to ensure liquid water and use minimal electricity.
It is not just birds that suffer in the winter. Any pet owner whose trusty mutt is left outside the house, either permanently or when out at work, will need to make sure that water is readily available at all times. Cats are especially vulnerable to dehydration, and require a little water at regular intervals. Using a heated water bowl will ensure that your pets well being is never put at risk. Not only can you buy a heated dog water bowl but in general they are considered to be a heated pet bowl because they are also very cat friendly.
Naturally, you would need to select a suitable size to use. The larger the model and the greater the water capacity, the more expensive it will cost to purchase, and to run. Clearly if you have a horse, you are going to have to bite the bullet and dig deeper.Most likely your option for a horse is going to be a heated water bucket or a heated water trough.
However don’t compromise on price, and make sure that the bowl has an adequate capacity for the job at hand. Consider also the shape and weight of the bowl. With an element they are heavier than a standard bowl. Even so, you want to ensure that the bowl does not tip over easily, especially important with large dogs.
Sadly, even in this age of electronic wizardry, you will not find a self-filling and self-cleaning bowl. Choose a model which is easy to clean. You will still need to check the bowl daily to ensure that there is sufficient water, and remember that warm water evaporates. You will need to keep the bowl topped up. Also important is to try to keep the bowl elevated slightly off ground level. The temperature will be higher in a slightly raised position, and during heavy snowfalls or very cold weather you will prevent the heated water bowl from having to heat continuously, and will increase the efficiency.