Precautions to take if your pet lives outdoors
- Ensure adequate shelter from sun/midday heat
- Outdoor kennels should be well-ventilated and in the shade
- Provide plenty of fresh water in a bowl that cannot be tipped over
- Avoid excessive exercise on hot days
- Talk with your local veterinarian to determine if your long-haired Fido needs a summer haircut
Microchipping
It's always sad to see a flyer stapled to a signpost or on a bulletin board at the grocery store with a picture of a lost pet. You imagine a child waiting for the phone to ring, hoping that some kind person happens to find his kitty and see his flyer. Sadly, once a pet is lost, the odds are against her finding her way home again. According to the American Humane Association, only about seventeen percent of lost dogs and two percent of cats ever find their way back from shelters to their original owners. Almost 9.6 million pets are euthanized every year because their owners can't be found. There are ways to beat these odds though, and they involve using nametags, collars and microchips. To give your pet the best chance to be identified, no matter how far she roams, have her implanted with a microchip and wear an updated nametag. |