|
Dealing Dogs
Don’t let your pet end up here
Follow these simple rules to keep your
pet safe.
DON’T leave companion animals
unattended in your yard. It only takes a minute for someone to steal
your pet.
DON’T allow your pet to be visible
from the street.
DON’T leave your dog tied up outside
restaurants or stores.
DON’T leave any animal unattended in
your car, even if it is “just for a minute.”
DON’T use “free to good home” ads to
place companion animals. These ads are often answered by Class “B”
dealers. Contact a rescue group for assistance in conducting your own
adoption.
DO spay and neuter your companion
animals. This reduces your animal’s desire to stray and reduces the risk
of your companion animal being stolen for breeding purposes.
DO provide your companion animals
with collars, ID tags, and licenses. Speak with your veterinarian about
backup forms of identifications, including tattooing and microchipping.
DO keep recent photos and written
descriptions of your companion animals on hand at all times.
DO keep dogs and cats indoors,
especially when you’re not home.
DO know where your animals are at all times. Treat your companion
animals as you would a small child.
DO educate family, friends, and
neighbors about pet theft
Properly Identifying Your Pet
A good dog collar with an ID tag is the
first line of defense against pet theft; however, a collar can break or
be pulled off. In addition to a collar, dogs should have permanent
identification. Microchipping and/or tattooing your pet are excellent
ways to ensure their safety.
Additionally, if your pet ends up at a research or medical facility,
the researchers are required by law to look for any tattoos, and, if one
is found, they must trace the pet back to the owner.
Microchips
A microchip is a permanent radio-frequency
identification (RFID) chip implanted under the animal’s skin and read by
a chip scanner or wand. Implantation is done with an injector that
places the chip under the loose skin over the animal’s shoulder.
Microchips are painless and effective
The advantages are obvious -- the process
is quick and no more painful than a vaccination, the number is unique
and the owners name and address are available on regional or national
data bases so a dog can be returned quickly and safely.
The chip identification number is stored in a tiny transponder that can
be read through the animal's skin by a scanner emitting low-frequency
radio waves. The frequency is picked up by a tiny antenna in the
transponder, and the number is retrieved, decoded and displayed in the
scanner readout window.
There are two major companies that produce and register microchips:
HomeAgain and AVID. For more information on microchipping, visit
www.HomeAgainID.com
and
www.AvidMicrochip.com.
Tattoos
Tattooing your cat and dog is another
great and permanent way to protect them if they ever get lost. Tattooing
dogs and cats has been done routinely since the sixties and is a
relatively painless procedure.
Vibrator tattoos used with dogs are similar to those used to tattoo
humans. Tattoo inks or pastes contain insoluble pigments that will not
react with blood or tissues. Black ink is commonly used on light-skinned
animals. Green ink is visible on both light and dark skin.
 The
ear of the animal is not a satisfactory place for a tattoo as the ear
can be cut off to remove the tattoo. A better place to tattoo the animal
is on the flank.
A tattoo must be registered with a tattoo registry. Each registry has
its own coding system and its own fee schedule. Your veterinarian, local
breed clubs, humane societies and animal shelters can give you
information about these registries.
For more information on tattooing your pet and to view video of the
actual procedure, visit
www.tattoo-a-pet.com.
Spaying and Neutering Your Pet
Spaying or neutering your animal might
actually help keep her out of a research lab. Animals that aren’t spayed
or neutered often stray from home when looking to mate. Many strays end
up in pounds or shelters, which, depending on the state laws, might in
turn sell the animal to a research lab through a practice called “pound
seizure.”
What do "spay" and "neuter" really
mean?
Female dogs and cats are spayed by
removing their reproductive organs, and male dogs and cats are neutered
by removing their testicles. In both cases the operation is performed
while the pet is under anesthesia. Depending on your pet's age, size,
and health, he or she will stay at your veterinarian's office for a few
hours or a few days. Depending upon the procedure, your pet may need
stitches removed after a few days. Your veterinarian can fully explain
spay and neuter procedures to you and discuss with you the best age at
which to sterilize your pet.
Spaying and Neutering are Good for Your
Pet
-
Spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats
live longer, healthier lives.
-
Spaying and neutering can eliminate or
reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very
difficult or expensive to treat.
-
Spaying eliminates the possibility of
uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast
cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before her first estrous
cycle.
-
Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and
decreases the incidence of prostate disease.
Spaying and Neutering are Good for You
-
Neutering cats makes them less likely to
spray and mark territory.
-
Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat
cycle. Estrus lasts an average of six to 12 days, often twice a year, in
dogs and an average of six to seven days, three or more times a year, in
cats. Females in heat can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior and
attract unwanted male animals.
-
Unsterilized animals often exhibit more
behavior and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or
neutered.
-
Spaying and neutering can make pets less
likely to bite.
-
Neutering makes pets less likely to roam
the neighborhood, run away or get into fights.
Spaying and Neutering are Good for the
Community
-
Communities spend millions of dollars to
control unwanted animals.
-
Irresponsible breeding contributes to the
problem of dog bites and attacks.
-
Animal shelters are overburdened with
surplus animals.
-
Some stray animals also scare away or kill
birds and wildlife.
|
