Please do not leave your dog in the yard unattended. Two million pets a year get stolen and many meet bad ends. I am guilty of the second to last one, though I stopped doing it some time ago. I had to ask myself, what would I do if a car pulled up and grabbed my dog while I walked into a store, even if I can still see my dog and he can see me? I'd be helpless to do anything.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Pet
- Keep your pet indoors, especially when you are not at home. Do not leave animals unattended in your yard; it only takes a minute for thieves to steal your pet. Do not let your pet roam free in the neighborhood.
- Remember that indoor cats live longer, safer lives.
- Keep companion animals safely inside your home when you are expecting repair personnel, meter readers, or guests.
- Properly identify your pet with a collar and tag, microchip, and/or tattoo.
- Know where your pet is at all times.
- Maintain up-to-date licenses on your pets.
- Keep recent photos and written descriptions of your companion animals on hand at all times.
- Spay and neuter your pets. Fixed animals are less likely to stray from home.
- Be aware of strangers in the neighborhood. Report anything unusual such as suspicious neighborhood activities or missing pets to the police and animal control.
- Padlock your gate; outdoor dogs should be kept safely behind a locked gate.
- Make sure that your animal is not visible from the street.
- Keep your pet on a leash whenever you go outside.
- Do not tie your pet outside a store to wait for you.
- Never leave an animal unattended in a car.
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