AUBURN - Dog owners, beware.

A new law went into effect two weeks ago that requires adequate outdoor shelter for man's best friend. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officials and investigators can now seize dogs that are kept outside, unprotected from the elements, according to the new law that began Nov. 21.

The Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York gets more calls about dogs outside in below-freezing temperatures, snowstorms, windy conditions, rain and scorching heat than any other kind of complaint. Between 15 and 20 of such calls come in every week, said Executive Director Carol Russell.

Russell expects those numbers to climb when more people know about the new law and see dogs out in inclement weather. It's actually a change in the state's Agriculture and Market Law.

Dog owners have to realize their pets are at risk of hypothermia, frostbite, other ailments or death if they're kept out in frigid temperatures, she said.

Some dogs, such as German shepherds, huskies and sheep dogs, prefer to be outside, even in the winter, but they shouldn't be out all the time. Short-haired dogs should not be kept outdoors for long periods during colder days, Russell said.

"Why have a dog if you don't want it to be a part of your family?" she said.

Other states have had similar laws for years. The American Society for the Protection of the Cruelty to Animals lobbied for the law, which was signed by Gov. George Pataki Nov. 21.

In the past, investigators couldn't do much but talk to the dog owner and recommend the animal be brought inside.

"Now we'll have some teeth," Russell said.

One of the more notorious cases in the state involved a set of puppies that froze to death in Saratoga Springs a few years ago. The owner was eventually acquitted on criminal charges.

Closer to home, a Chapman Avenue woman's rottweiler puppies were seized because they were kept in a small kennel on the side of her home.

Animals are also at risk during the hottest days of the summer. Dogs must be kept in the shade and out of the heat.

Last summer, two dogs were seized by the SPCA because their owners placed them in an unused plastic pool, Russell said. The reflection off the plastic and metal parts of the pool made the heat and sun unbearable, she said. And no water was available for the dogs.

"It was like a cage and they couldn't get out," she said.

The SPCA in Tomkins County had already seized one dog under the new law. So far, the local SPCA hasn't had the need for it, but local officials said they have no problem with seizing an animal at risk.

The SPCA investigator will look at the breed of the animal, its size and physical condition before determining whether a dog isn't properly sheltered, Russell said.

An appropriate shelter generally means a dog house that is the right size for that breed. It will be up to the investigator to decide whether the shelter is adequate.

"We'll look at it on a case-by-case basis," Russell said.

With the law so new, however, local SPCA officials will first give dog owners seven days to correct the situation and provide appropriate shelter, Russell said.

If they don't do something, then the dog will be taken away and won't be returned until the situation changes, she said. A part of the initial strategy will be educating the public about the law.

Violators face escalating fines.