Pets go missing year round but each July we like to focus on preventative steps you can take to help keep your pet safe at home or in case your pet is ever lost, make their journey home easier and safer.

First tip we can offer is one that can be often misunderstood; MICROCHIPPING. All too often microchipping is misunderstood as some form of gps tracking device. While that would be handy, that is not the case or the reason why to microchip your pet. What microchipping your pet does is provides a proof of ownership to your pet. Any animal control facility or animal shelter that takes in stray animals will use a handheld device to check each pet for a microchip upon intake. If registered properly, your name and contact information should be correlated with the microchip number that will appear on their device. This provides a way to reunite owners with their lost animals. In the rare case that a pet is ever stolen, it also provides the proof of ownership needed to prove to law enforcement that an animal is yours. Microchipping is a quick and painless procedure that can often be performed when a pet comes in to be spayed or neutered, this way the microchip is inserted when your pet is under anesthesia and saves any extra stress. Once inserted, you will receive your microchip number and instructions on registering your pet’s number to your contact information. We highly recommend microchipping to all our pet owners.

Second tip for keeping pets safe at home is an obvious one. Provide a safe and secure environment for your pets. This means if you let your pet out to potty in your yard unsupervised, you’ve checked your fence line to ensure there are no loose boards or holes where a pet can easily escape. Not leaving doors or windows open to unsupervised indoor pets is another easy way to keep your pet home. We do recommend taking your dogs for walks frequently around your neighborhood so they may become familiar with the land and scents near home just in case they are ever lost, this gives them a higher chance of finding their own way home.

Lastly, in the event that your pet is ever lost it is important to be familiar with who to contact to help spread word of your missing pet. Know your local shelters, veterinarians, and animal rescues. Make sure you have a full body photo of them to use on a flyer or poster. We hope your pet never loses their way from home but in the event they do, its always good to be prepared.

Want to read more about how you can prevent your pet from becoming lost?

Checkout this article: https://nationaltoday.com/national-lost-pet-prevention-month/