As your pet’s guardian, you are responsible for ensuring they stay safe from preventable disease, physical harm, and emotional distress. In addition to regular veterinary care, taking pet loss prevention measures is the easiest and most effective way to ensure your pet lives a long and happy life.
In recognition of National Pet Loss Prevention Month, our Twin Lakes Veterinary Hospital team recommends you follow these steps to ensure your four-footed friend stays by your side for many years to come.
#1: Ensure your pet has current identification
In 2020, Canadian animal shelters classified 38% of incoming dogs and 48% of incoming cats as stray pets. Fortunately, their owners reclaimed 80% of those dogs and 17% of the cats, who were likely identified through the information on their collars, tags, and microchips, although the Humane Canada report does not confirm this.
Ensuring your pet carries your current contact information is the simplest and most effective way to guarantee a happy reunion if they become lost. Collars and tags outwardly convey that your pet has an owner, while a microchip embedded beneath your pet’s skin can provide you permanent peace of mind. If you would like your pet microchipped, schedule an appointment with us to perform this quick and painless outpatient procedure. Afterward, you simply register your pet and your contact information on the microchip database so you can be contacted when your lost pet is found.
#2: Spay or neuter your pet
In addition to their many health benefits, spaying and neutering procedures reduce a pet’s desire to roam in search of a mate. While unspayed female pets are less likely to wander than unneutered male pets, female pets in heat may attract unfamiliar aggressive male pets to their yard—which may cause the female pets to run away in fear.
With no testosterone, neutered male pets are less inclined to leave home, and generally demonstrate less territorial behavior than intact male pets. However, spaying and neutering should never be a substitute for training, environmental management, and supervision.
#3: Secure your pet’s environment
Monitoring your pet’s every move is impractical and impossible—but securing your pet’s environment can prevent tragic loss. Simple actions to secure your pet at home include:
- Closing doors and gates — Keep external doors and gates closed.
- Checking barrier integrity — Regularly check fences, window screens, and doors for damage where your pet could escape.
- Using a crate or exercise pen — Confining your pet to a safe enclosure or quiet room is a responsible way to manage them during busy times (e.g., entertaining house guests, performing home maintenance, hosting holiday gatherings).
- Eliminating temptations — If your pet is tempted by outdoor stimuli (e.g., stray cats, squirrels, the mail carrier), close the curtains or keep your pets out of the rooms where they can see the stimuli.
- Restraining your pet during car travel — Unrestrained pets can easily slip out of an open car door or be ejected during a vehicle accident. Buckle up your pup with a dog seat belt or a secure crate, and place cats in a carrier behind the front seat.
- Leashing your dog — Keep your dog on a standard four- to six-foot leash to prevent them from running away, fighting with another dog, or being hit by a car.
#4: Train your pet
Every pet should know the lifesaving commands “Come” and “Stay.” Use high-value rewards to encourage your pet to come when you call and to stay in place when you ask. For the best results, consult a certified positive reinforcement-based trainer, and never use these commands to punish your pet—do not give your pet a bath after they come when you call and do not scold them for leaving in the first place.
#5: Avoid situations that may frighten your pet
Pets may experience intense anxiety and panic in response to loud sounds and unfamiliar scenarios—causing many to become disoriented and run away. Common triggers include:
- Fireworks
- Thunderstorms
- Gunshots
- Concerts
- Heavy machinery
- House guests
Keep your pet indoors and safely confined during anticipated noisy events, and be prepared for unexpected sights and sounds while on a walk by keeping your dog on a well-fitted collar or harness and leash to prevent them from running away in a panic.
#6: Seek veterinary treatment for pets’ anxiety and phobias
Anxious or nervous pets are more likely to flee when faced with something new, unexpected, or overwhelming. Talk to your Twin Lakes Veterinary Hospital veterinarian if you believe your pet has a noise sensitivity or displays fearful or nervous behavior. Anxiety and phobias are medical conditions that negatively impact your pet’s quality of life, including putting their life at risk.
Fortunately, your veterinarian can successfully manage your pet’s anxiety and phobias through medication, supplements, environmental management, and thoughtful behavior modification.
#7: Ensure all visitors know you have a pet
Unless you tell them, house guests and service people may be unaware of your pet’s presence. Inform everyone who enters your home—no matter how brief their stay—that you have a pet, and clearly tell them your specific rules (e.g., always close the door or gate, never let the pet out, ignore the pet). Often, the safest option is to confine your pet to their crate or a quiet room to keep them safe and prevent them from inadvertently running away.
Your pet’s safety is an ongoing responsibility—but their unconditional love and companionship make the effort worthwhile. By taking our pet loss prevention measures, you ensure your furry friend will stay by your side for many years to come. Give our Twin Lakes Veterinary Hospital team a call to discuss additional pet safety and health tips, and schedule your pet’s next wellness care appointment.
Leave A Comment