It is so sad for me to read about the many, many pets who go missing, are stolen, and found deceased on the highway. I want to remind everyone that dogs and cats, and other small animals, have a mentality similar to a toddler. They need their humans to protect them, watch out for them, to make sure the house and yard are safe; they never become independent, as human children do.
When out on a walk, use a snug-fitting harness, such as Easy Walk or Dexdog, with a secure leash. A harness keeps your dog safer than a collar alone; a harness is harder to get out of, and they are also gentler on the dog’s trachea and thyroid (see my blog on this subject). Too many people are “walking” their dog with no leash. A dog can easily get spooked by a loud noise, such as a siren or fireworks, or car backfiring. Dogs have an instinctual prey drive so if they spot a squirrel, or other animal, they may run off, no matter how well trained you think they are. There are many other scenarios that could happen as well. A poor Shiba Inu was let off the leash outside to poop, and got scared of a car honking; he ran away from his guardian, down a grassy hill and directly into the highway. He was killed instantly before his guardian even got to him, sadly. The guardian said “he only poops off-leash” and “he is skittish”. That is unfortunately the perfect recipe for tragedy. Dogs can easily be trained to defecate on-leash; there is no reasonable justification to put him in such danger. Retractable leashes are not safe, as they can break (I saw it happen and it was a disaster for two dogs involved) or your dog can get too far ahead of you and meet an aggressive dog, or find a needle-sharp chicken bone , or get hit by a car. Refrain from being on a cell phone or I-pod when walking your dog - you need to pay attention to your surroundings; and be training your dog at the same time.
Cats should live indoors; with all their needs cared for, including emotional needs, cats can be content to look out and sniff out the windows. Make sure there are screens in open windows. Flat Cats makes custom screens if you need any. Many a cat goes missing when allowed to roam outdoors unattended, and when there are no screens in windows. Again, our pets have the mentality of a toddler. Check out Jackson Galaxy’s books and videos on how to keep cats happy and healthy; he has many years of experience. There are too many dangers outside, especially in these times. Cats can get hit by speeding cars, fall into the wrong hands, get poisoned by someone who doesn’t like cats, get attacked by feral cats, freeze to death if lost in winter; starve, catch a disease. Domestic cats do not fare well outdoors, as feral cats can. You wouldn’t let your young child roam outside unattended, or even your dog, so why your cat? People will say “he always comes back” and then one day he does not come back..
Cats can go outside when walked by you with an appropriate harness and leash that you control, if they want to go out. Jackson Galaxy, cat expert/advocate/behaviorist, recommends this. Don’t force a cat to go outside if he doesn’t want to. Only if a cat insists on going out, use a harness made specifically for cats.
If you are moving or if you having something large delivered, secure the pets in a closed room so they don't run out when the doors are open. Make sure to close doors and gates and ask visitors to do the same. If a repairman is coming, or you are having construction done in the home, again, secure the pets in a closed room for their safety. This is a common way dogs or cats become lost or go missing.
If you are on a road trip with your dog, keep him on a leash or in a dog seat, so that when you stop for a break, he will not be able to run off. Cats should be always be in a carrier or sherpa bag in a car.
Always microchip your pet. And register the chip and keep it updated. Many pets are reunited because of a microchip, sometimes after years or many miles away! There are GPS tags you can get too, if your pet is an escape artist, or likes to go out on adventures by himself or with another dog or cat friend. Huskies are known for this. Keep an ID tag on the dog’s collar, along with a microchip, because often when someone finds a dog that was lost, they do not think to check for a microchip. The ID tag should be kept current as well. Also, make sure the O ring is strong enough because flimsy ones come loose.
Never tie up your dog outside a store, supermarket or restaurant, even for a few minutes. Thieves steal dogs in a very short time. They will sell the dog to anybody, or possibly use the poor dog as bait in dog-fighting. In these times, especially with COVID, some people will do anything for extra money. Whenever I see a dog tied up outside a store, I wait with the dog until his/her guardian comes out, and inform them of the dangers of doing so.
When going out of town, or even staying in town and needing a pet-sitter, please properly screen pet-sitters. They may be doing it as a hobby only, or for extra money without enough experience. (I have read about Wag dog walkers abusing or losing dogs in their care.) It is better to hire a professional dog walker or pet-sitter for your beloved pets, as often a relative or neighbor may say yes to you but not really be into it, or they may be pre-occupied with other things and may not pay close attention. I’ve read stories of pets going missing when a relative was watching them. Always do a Meet & Greet with a new dog walker or sitter.
Another thing to prevent losing a pet is to not allow cats on a balcony or open porch because they can jump or fall, and be badly hurt or killed. It happens; with cats falling from higher than two stories it’s called high-rise syndrome. You can put up netting or plexiglass to prevent such things.
Make sure any openings or holes in backyard fences are repaired - dogs will find them and be able to escape. Fences should be tall enough and strong enough that dogs can’t climb or jump over them, or push them down. And fences should be deep enough in the ground so a dog can’t dig his way out, or be able to squeeze underneath it. Electric fences cause unnecessary pain and fear. I am strongly against them, along with shock collars. Shock is a punishment, a negative training, where the dog is not only in pain, but it will affect his behavior, often becoming more aggressive.
Teaching your dog recall is so important. You can train him in your hallway with treats as a reward for your dog coming to you when he is called. Then, he will do so when outdoors, as well, with proper training. This is of utmost importance if you want to take your dog to an off-leash park.
Puppies and newly adopted dogs should be taken for walks, not kept in the house, as some people choose to do, for whatever reasons. Walks are not only good for exercise and fresh air, stimulation, companionship, but for a dog to gain confidence and not be skittish or nervous when taken outside. Any little thing will startle the dog, otherwise.
Please do not leave puppies unattended in a yard. They are babies who need you to take care of them. If you live in a questionable neighborhood, or even near one, it is advisable to watch your adult dogs as well when in a backyard. People will seize the opportunity, if no one is watching, to steal them. Especially certain breeds are at risk, such as French bulldogs which are sold for thousands of dollars. I have passed by a dog who was outside his home in the front with the front door closed - nobody was watching him and I was amazed that someone would do that to a vulnerable doggie. (I knocked on the door and spoke to the person about it; I never saw that dog outside alone again.)
With birds, again, screens in windows are so important. So many domesticated birds are lost that way, when windows are open with no screens. Portable screens are sold in hardware stores. If you need to keep the door open for awhile, put the bird back in the cage or in another room, and ask all housemates to do the same.
Put stickers in your windows alerting firemen that there are pets in the home, how many and the species, in case of fire.
In short, let's look out more diligently for our pets who depend on us, who are loyal and loving, and innocent. Thank you.
