A Kenneling Alternative
I confess the title is a little bit cheesy and is an English major homage to a famous work of literature, but the topic of Lyme disease is a serious one if you have pets.
As we enter into warmer weather and remain restricted to social distancing protocols, many folks are finding it easier to separate themselves from other people by spending time walking in nature. And what walk is complete without your furry friend?
[Read more…] about Lyme in the Time of COVID
Everyone knows they need to keep ID on their pet. But, we all get lax over time. That’s why it is always good to take the opportunity during National Pet ID Week to be sure all of your information is up-to-date and your pet is properly tagged.
Beginning April 17th, Pet ID Week will begin. Most pets, particularly those you may have obtained from a shelter or rescue group, are microchipped. However, one of the things that we tend to forget are updates to our address or phone numbers.
One of the things that I personally overlooked after my move last year was making sure that my microchip information was current for Ginger. And guess what? It wasn’t. In all the shuffling and moving around, I had forgotten to take care of that detail.
Even with a microchip, it might not be enough. You never know when a pet could be lost or how far away they might wander. My parents are in a very rural location and each year they see countless dogs wander onto their property. Some have ID tags on and some do not. The pets may be microchipped, but with a veterinarian at least an hour’s drive away, the better option would be to have an ID tag with phone number on it. The dogs that had that were promptly returned. The ones without, they had to take to the shelter.
Losing a pet is traumatic and can put your family through a great deal of anxiety and grief. Make sure that your pets have legible tags with current information. And check in with your microchip provider to be sure your current phone and address are on file. We hope you never have to use either, but leashes and collars break. Be safe and make sure your pet has the best chance to be reunited with you in the event they become lost. [Read more…] about National Pet ID Week
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.
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
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