The Importance of Your Pet Wearing a Collar and Tag
How to Keep Your Pet Occupied with Indoor Activities
Keep Your Pets Safe During July 4 Fireworks
The Importance of Your Pet Wearing a Collar and Tag
Keeping your pet safe is priority No. 1. One of the best ways to do it is by ensuring your pet wears a collar and tag. It can help save you from a lot of heartache.
A collar and tag can literally save your pet’s life by ensuring you get back your pet if he is lost. “Yet a study published in Preventative Veterinary Medicine revealed that only 33 percent of owners keep ID tags on their pets,” according to the article, “Dog Tags 101: What You Need to Know to Keep Your Pet Safe” at Vetstreet.com.
Tags on pets “considerably increase the return-to-owner (RTO) rate if your pet is lost,” the article said. Even if your pet is microchipped, your pet should also wear a collar and tag. It’s like reinforcement and extra protection.
Your pet’s tags should include a phone number so you can be reached any time of the day. You can also include a second tag with the microchip information as well and one for proof of rabies.
There are other important things you can do, according to the article, “Identification Tags & Microchips” at American Humane.
• Have your pet wear a temporary tag if you are traveling, the American Humane article said. Include contact information of someone who can reach you.
• “For cats, use a specially made safety collar that has a short piece of elastic sewn in it,” the American Humane article said. “These collars allow the cat to escape if it gets caught on window blinds, furniture, fencing or other objects.”
• Even if your cat is an indoor cat, ensure he wears a tag as he could slip outside and get lost.
It’s better to be safe than sorry so ensure your pets are protected with a collar and tags.
How to Keep Your Pet Occupied with Indoor Activities
Sometimes you just need indoor activities for your pet. That can happen if it’s too hot outside, during gloomy weather, or rain. It can also be just because you want some quality indoor activities to keep your pet occupied.
When your pet is not active, it’s not good. That goes for humans too. According to the article, “6 Indoor Activities to Do With Your Pets” at Michelson Found Animals, “Too many hours of being sedentary can lead to depression, isolation, or what people in cold climates know as ‘cabin fever’.”
According to the article, the following are some indoor things to do with your pet to keep you both moving:
• Use the stairs! Run up and down with your pet and you’re doing some real exercise and burning some calories.
• Scavenger hunt: Stimulate your dog or cat’s mind. “Hide small pieces of their favorite treats all over your home and watch them run wild,” the article said.
• Get some boxes and build a fort or cat tree. Oh, what fun!
• A good old-fashioned game of fetch always does the trick.
There are more ways to keep occupied indoors when you’re stuck inside. According to the article, “13 Ways To Keep Your Dog Busy When You’re Stuck Indoors” at iHeartDogs.
• Nosework games. Start with healthy treats and place around the room while your dog watches. Command your dog to “Find the treats!” Follow up “and offer lots of encouragement and praise each time she finds one,” the iHeartDogs article said.
• Hide and seek. You can play and reinforce the “stay” command. “It also involves exercise, problem solving, and improves the human-animal bond!” the iHeartDogs article said.
You can always have great activity choices when you’re stuck inside with your pet.
Keep Your Pets Safe During July 4 Fireworks
July 4 is near and while many people love fireworks, there are many people and pets who don’t. Fireworks can be a literal nightmare for many pets.
“On the Fourth of July, many animals become so frightened by the noise and commotion of fireworks that they run from otherwise familiar environments and people, and sadly become lost,” according to the article, “Fireworks: An explosion of fear for animals” at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Wildlife animals are also devastated from the trauma that fireworks cause. “The sudden bright flashes and sounds can cause wild animals to run into roadways, resulting in more car accidents than normal,” the article said.
According to the HSUS article, the following are ways to keep your pets and wildlife safe:
• Leave your pets home in a safe place with a radio or TV on to block out the noise. If you must have your pet with you, ensure your pet is on a leash and with you at all times.
• For very fearful pets, speak with your veterinarian about medicine and other options to ease the fear.
• Ensure your pet is microchipped, wears a collar and ID tag in case she gets out and lost.
The ASPCA offers additional ideas to keep your pets safe during the July 4 holiday. According to the article, “Fourth of July Safety Tips” at ASPCA.org, you have to make sure your pet doesn’t get into foods that can be a danger.
• Keep alcoholic drinks away from pets at all times. They can be poisonous to pets.
• If it doesn’t say it’s for animals, do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent to your pet.
Make sure your pet is safe July 4 and at other holidays throughout the year. You can both still have lots of fun.
Recent Comments