Stray Animals

When you see an animal loose and apparently all alone, what do you do? Do you immediately stop to help, or do you drive off and hope that its owner is close by? If you are like me, you  instinctively have the urge to see if you can help in some way. Although the safest method is often to call for backup (animal control, for example), here are some tips on what you can do if you find a stray while you’re alone and want to try to help out.

• First, if you are driving, find a safe place to park. You don’t want to cause an accident while trying to save an animal. Make sure you look in all of your mirrors and blind spots before pulling over and do not stop in the middle of the street. Turn off your car and put the hazard lights on.
• Remember that a frightened and potentially sick or injured animal can behave unpredictably. Be cautious and expect that any move that you make can potentially spook the animal, causing him to run or hide. If at any point the animal looks or acts threatening, or if you feel uneasy about the situation, stay a safe distance away, or go back to your car and call for help. Your local shelter or veterinarians office should be able to help.
• If the animal is quiet enough for you to approach, speak calmly and make sure the animal can see you at all times as you get closer. Try to entice the animal to come to you (food may help) rather than approaching it directly.
• Ideally, try to coax the animal directly into your car. Do not corner the animal or attempt to grab him suddenly, as this may make him panic and try to bite.
• Call for backup. Call either the police department or your local animal control center, and report the situation. They will come out to help.  
• Scan for a microchip. Any vet or animal shelter should have a scanner. If the pet is microchipped, that is the fastest way to locate his owners. (For more info about microchipping, check out our Chip Your Pet! post).
• Take the animal to a safe place. This may be the local shelter (which is often the first place a worried owner will look), or some people opt to take the animal home until its owner is located. Just be extra careful, as there is no way of knowing how the animal may react to other people, pets, or a strange, new environment. 
• Post signs around the area where you found the animal as well as on local social media to raise awareness that the animal is safe and is looking for its home. If you turned the animal into the shelter, it is ok to check in periodically or leave your contact information in case the owner is not located right away.

We all want pets to be returned to their homes as quickly and safely as possible. By following these steps, you can help make sure a lost pet is reunited with his family without endangering either of you. Just remember, if the animal is growling or looks angry, its best to call in the professionals.

Happy Chip Your Pet Month!

Pets with microchips are more than twice as likely to find their way home than pets that aren't. Unfortunately, the vast majority of America's pets still are not microchipped. If those pets get lost, they can't tell whoever finds them where they live. A microchip can. Here's how it works:

A microchip is a tiny implant about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades. Each microchip is coded with unique ID number, almost like a social security number for pets. Unlike a collar, tattoo, or tag, a microchip will never wear out, break, or become difficult to read, and its information cannot be altered. Although microchips don't work like a GPS, meaning you can't use them to track down your pet's exact location, a microchip can be quickly scanned by a universal scanner at any shelter or vet's office, instantly linking your pet with your contact information so they can be returned home safely.

Is it safe? Microchips are specially designed to stay in place and not migrate through the body. They also are made with nonreactive materials so the body doesn't even know one has been implanted, and they do not contain any batteries or chemicals. A microchip only emits a signal when in the presence of a microchip scanner.

Does it hurt? The implantation process itself is actually very similar to a routine shot and only takes a few seconds. In fact, it can be done during a regular office visit. Your pet will feel a brief pinch from the needle, and that's it! There is no recovery time or side effects, other than some mild soreness at the injection site.

Is it expensive? Microchipping generally costs around $30-$50 including registration.

Is there an annual fee to stay registered? There is a one-time registration fee for any chip in order to store your contact information. This fee covers lifetime registration for your pet in the online database. After that, many companies will offer extended protection packages that include things like distributing "Lost Pet" flyers to local shelters on your behalf or transporting your pet back home after he is located, even if it is several towns (or states!) away. These extras are simply that, though, extras. After the first year, which automatically includes these freebies, don't feel obligated to pay a subscription fee if you don't want to.

If your pet is not already microchipped, we strongly encourage you to think about it, and not just because it is "Chip Your Pet" Month. If your pet goes missing, there is no more reliable or affordable way to make sure he gets returned to you safe and sound. Call us today to schedule an appointment!

National Check the Chip Day

Microchips are a great way to help you get reunited with your pet if he/she is lost or stolen, but a microchip only works if its registration information is accurate.

Therefore, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) have joined together to create “Check the Chip Day” to recognize the importance of registering a microchipped pet and insuring the pet's safe return to their rightful home.

Implanting the microchip is the first step, but it is very important to keep your information up to date with the chip's manufacturer.  AAHA has a Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool that is linked to many of the microchip registries, in case you don’t remember your registration information. Check it out today and make sure your information is correct. It could save your pet's life!

For more information, here is a podcast from AVMA about microchipping.