Keeping Your Dog Safe On The 4th Of July

For many years growing up I was lucky enough to have a beautiful Collie named Prince (original, I know I was 12 what do you want).  Anyway, Prince was deathly scared of fireworks and thunder so when I read this I thought Don Hansen of Green Acres was wise to remind all dog owners to be careful with our precious four legged charges. Here is the information he sent from the American Humane Society:

• 10 million pets get lost every year. This is more than the population of New York City.
• Of the dogs entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized and 26% are returned to their owner.
• Without proper ID or microchipping, 90% of lost pets never return home.
• A third of pets will get lost in their lifetime.
• An estimated 2 million pets are stolen each year.

To prevent your dog from becoming lost on the 4^th of July:

• Keep your dog on leash unless they are inside or in a fenced yard.
• If you have guests in your home, make sure everyone is careful so as not to accidentally let the dog out.
• Do NOT take your dog to the fireworks. They are not going to enjoy the experience and may become frightened and run off.
• If you choose to use fireworks at your home or camp, or if you have neighbors that do so, make sure that your dog is inside, preferably in a room where they will not hear or see the fireworks.

To give your pet the best chance of being returned to you:

• Please make sure that your dog is either microchipped or wearing a collar with a current, readable and legible ID tag.
• If your dog is microchipped, make sure that the chip registry has your current contact information.
• Keep a current photo of your pet that you can use on a “Lost Pet” poster if your pet goes missing. Make sure it’s a good photo that clearly shows any identifying characteristics of your dog.
• Maintain a list of phone numbers for your local animal control organization, police department, animal shelter(s), and pet related businesses so that you can notify them if your pet is lost and ask them to put up the “Lost Pet” poster that you create.
• If your dog is microchipped, contact the chip registry if they go missing. Many registries will help disseminate information about your missing dog on social media to aid in recovery.
• If you live in Maine, contact Maine Lost Dog Recovery via their FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/MaineLostDogRecovery) as they can be very helpful in assisting you in getting the word out about your lost dog.
• If you are traveling with your pet, provide your pet with a temporary ID tag that provides local contact information for wherever you are staying.

Thanks to Green Acres and have a terrific 4th of July Holiday.