July is Pet Loss Prevention Month

July is Pet Loss Prevention Month

               Losing a pet is one of the scariest events and it can happen in the blink of an eye. A pet slips his leash, jumps      out of a car or wanders away and the chances of return are often slim. Let’s learn some ways to keep pets safe and      sound where they belong.

• Microchip your pet.  Microchips provide a permanent identification and can be easily implanted in both dogs and cats.  The microchip number gets linked to your information in a national, searchable database if your pet ends up at a vet or shelter where the chip can be scanned with an RFID reading device.  Pets who have a microchip are 50% more likely to be reunited with their owners if lost.
• Wear a collar with ID tags or with the ID stitched onto the collar on your pet, especially if traveling.  An identification tag is still the best way to identify a lost pet and locate his or her family.  That being said, make sure collars are properly fitted to prevent them from slipping off or getting hung up on things and, even though it risks the collar coming off, breakaway collars is still recommended for cats.  Consider a Bluetooth or GPS tracking collar for cats that roam so you can keep track of their whereabouts.
• Secure your yard and keep pets indoors overnight or when you’re not at home.  Make sure pets can’t escape from the yard—check the perimeter around fences and ensure your pet cannot jump over a fence. Fences may also deter outdoor cats from leaving the property.
• Keep pets safe during auto travel. Cats should be secured in a carrier during travel and dogs should be on a leash and, ideally, use a seatbelt tether to keep dogs them safe and make it less likely for them to be able to slip out an open car door. Never travel with dogs in an open truck bed and make sure pets can’t wriggle through an open window.
• Spay or neuter your pet.  Spayed and neutered pets are statistically less likely to roam which reduces the incidence of fighting, being hit by a car or getting lost.  Intact male dogs and cats have a strong instinct to mark territory, to find females and are also more reactive to other males.  Unspayed females may also have more of an urge to roam.  Pets are more likely to stick close to home if spayed or neutered.

A shocking ten million pets go missing in the United States every year.  Follow these tips to keep identification on your pet, make sure he or she can’t escape the yard or a vehicle and spay or neuter your pet to reduce the urge to roam and keep your pet safe and sound with you where he or she belongs.

This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.

https://dogtime.com/how-to/pet-safety/40223-lost-pet-prevention-month-july