A Kenneling Alternative

Pet Safety

Pet Poison Prevention Week

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The third week of March has been designated as Pet Poison Prevention Week for over 50 years.

How often do you think about what might be poisonous to your pet? Before you bring them into your home? After they’ve eaten something that has fallen on the floor? Immediately upon reentering the room after leaving a pan of brownies on the stove in what should have been a safe distance to find half the pan eaten and your dog’s guilty grin greeting you?

Let’s take a moment to consider what might cause dire harm or death to your pet upon ingestion and what actions you can or should take if that occurs.

There’s a very handy search engine on https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/. Type in the item ingested and get information on what to do.

Further, Pet Poison Helpline is a 24-hour pet poison control center. There is a fee involved if you use their services. Or, they can help you locate an emergency vet near you.

Their website includes guides on pet safety and how to spot potential poisons in each room of your house and even by holidays.With Easter approaching, you can read about possible poisonings that can occur during that time frame at https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/seasons/easter/.

The top dog poison is chocolate and the top cat poison is lilies. See the complete list by clicking here.

Pet Theft Awareness Day

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While many people celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th, there’s another holiday that occurs on the same day: Pet Theft Awareness Day. Valentine’s Day sees an uptick, according to the organization Last Chance for Animals (LCA), of pet thefts.

On average, an estimated 2 millions pets are stolen every year, according to The National Association for Pet Sitters. In response, LCA in 1988, began their campaign to “raise awareness for the issues of pet theft and to educate the public about how to keep their companion animals safe from unscrupulous thieves.”

LCA provides useful information regarding pet safety and while we will hit the highlights you can review the entire site in more detail by clicking here. [Read more…] about Pet Theft Awareness Day

Unchain A Dog Month

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January is Unchain a Dog Month. Most of us have encountered dogs that are chained up outside. And it is particularly heartbreaking to see during the deepest freezes of winter and the hottest days of summer. And while some communities have ordinances against leaving pets outside in certain weather conditions, this doesn’t eliminate all situations where dogs are chained outside without shelter year round.

There are organizations that are making inroads to allow individuals to unchain their dogs. One of those is called Fences for Fido. [Read more…] about Unchain A Dog Month

Why Did The Turtle Cross The Road?

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From now until October you may see turtles crossing the road. Or, if you live near a body of water, they may appear in your backyard. 

According to the Turtle Rescue League, in “late summer and fall, hatchling turtles are digging up from nests, looking for water and later on males and females are heading to places to hibernate.”

If you find a turtle crossing the road, make sure you stop in a safe location before assisting the turtle. Keep it low to the ground in case you drop it if it kicks itself out of your hands, pick it up on the sides of the shell not the tail, and do not turn it around. If you have a snapper, use a blunt object to scoot it across the road so you don’t hurt it. You can wait to make sure it doesn’t turn around to recross the road before you leave. [Read more…] about Why Did The Turtle Cross The Road?

Microchipping Your Pet

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In the chaos of moving from a house in the suburbs to a condo in the city, I realized that I had missed one very important step in the hundreds of updates, decisions, and changes that relocating can involve. I hadn’t updated the contact information registered to my dog’s microchip. 

When adopting from a shelter, microchipping isn’t even a consideration in most instances. Pets are generally microchipped at a shelter.  However, if you haven’t microchipped your pet you might want to consider doing so. It is a great way to ensure identification of your pet in the event a collar breaks, your pet panics and runs away during fireworks, or if your pet is lost during a natural disaster.

Further, most shelters and veterinarian offices have a universal scanning tool to check a pet so that they can find information on the owner. Which means, like myself, you need to remember to update the data when you change addresses or phone numbers.

According to the Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago, the microchip generally has a 25-year life span, so once your pet is microchipped it is normally good for their entire life. While microchipping is a personal decision, Blum points out that only 22 percent of non-chipped dogs make it back to their owners, and even fewer non-chipped cats find their way home. 

While there are no guarantees, a microchip can be another tool in your kit to help keep your pet protected and more likely to be returned to you in the event they get lost. Reach out to your veterinarian for specific questions on microchipping options and whether it is the right choice for you and your pets.