Keeping your pets safe
PET BULLETIN
‘Mews and Yips’ from the Central Aroostook Humane Society
Gloria Towle
Board Member
Our Facebook page has had so many notices the past few months of lost animals in the area. So many cats and several dogs have wandered away from home recently. Some have found their way back but there are still many that are posted on our site that are still missing. It has to be heartbreaking to know that your beloved pet is alone, lost, hungry and afraid.
Years ago my German Shepherd, Jessie, “wandered away” from our 80 acres. I didn’t sleep all night fearing the worst — perhaps someone had picked her up, she was hit by a vehicle and laying in the ditch or was lost deep in the woods. Fortunately, she was found a quarter mile from home; she had wandered into a yard and was too scared to know how to get back home. The wonderful couple that saw her, brought her inside, fed her and knew that she was too friendly and well taken care of to be a stray. After that we always made sure that her collar and name tags were on her at all times.
There are several steps you can take to keep your pets safe and reduce the likelihood that they’ll become lost or stolen:
• Provide your pet with a collar and ID tags. Include an up-to-date phone number where you can be reached;
• Have your pet microchipped. Microchips are an implanted form of identification equipped to access your contact information when scanned at a veterinary clinic or at the Central Aroostook Humane Society;
• Spay/neuter your pet. Studies have shown that sterilized animals are less likely to roam;
• Keep them safe when you’re out and about. Animals love the outdoors but it is our responsibility to protect them. Keep them close to home and away from traffic, unfamiliar animals and those who may not concern themselves with your pet’s best interests;
• Leash your animal when outside — cats too! And keep them in your view at all times; and
• Leave them comfortable at home. Never leave your dog leashed outside a store or unattended in the car, even if it’s locked or the windows are rolled down.
We want to have our pets happy and safe at all times, so take the time to keep these tips in mind. Many view our Facebook page daily, so it’s a great idea to keep us informed if your pet is lost and especially if your pet has been found.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing for lunch noon to 12:30. Check us out on Facebook and Petfinders.com. Remember to spay and neuter your pets!
