Your Dog is Lost... Now What Do You Do

Your Dog is Lost... Now What Do You Do?
 Brookline Dog Licensing Program sent this flyer out and I thought I would share the info with you. It's appropriate no matter where you live.

Contact your town's Police Animal Control Officer -  in Brookline that number is 617-730-2222. If they are not available make sure to leave your name and contact information and a  description of your dog. Make sure to ask that this be logged in - in case someone sees your dog and calls the police.

Contact local animal shelters. Local shelters in the Brookline area include Brookline Animal Hospital - 617-277-2030, the City of Boston Shelter - 617-635-1800, the MSPCA Boston Animal Shelter - 617-522-5055 ext 5369, and the Animal Rescue League Boston Shelter at 617-426-9170. Again, be sure to leave your name, a description of your dog and your contact information. Be sure to call or visit frequently to ensure follow up.

Post a free, widely distributed notice in both the "Lost & Found" and "Pets" section of Craigslist at http://boston.craigslist.org  (or your local version).

Print several hundred Lost Dog Flyers on brightly colored, neon paper. Have friends and family post them everywhere (tape to trees - not staple - please) within at least one or two miles of where your dog went missing. (be sure to take them down once the dog is found). If it is raining - insert them into plastic sleeve protectors that you can get at office supply stores - opening facing down so rain won't get in. Provide a number that is monitored 24/7. A flyer template is available at on the Brookline Town Clerk webpage at www.brookline.gov

Make sure your dog has identification tags on them at all times - a minimum of a phone number - even if they are micro-chipped. Chips help once they make it to a Shelter or Vet but if the dog is found by a local person they have no way of reading the microchips and I am sure you would want them to call you ASAP.

In addition to these recommendations, I would suggest contacting local pet related stores- I have often been brought "lost" dogs and even have had some dogs "find" us. Use email, Facebook, Twitter to get the information out - it is the age of Social Networking - put it to good use!

Let's hope it never comes to this.

Halloween - Fun for All but be Safe

Halloween is just around the corner. It is the second biggest holiday in the US next to Christmas. It is a fun time for all ages - and for PETs.

At Cause to Paws we are having our 7th Annual Howl-O-Ween Pawty on Sunday, Oct 30 from 5 - 7 PM. Every year it seems to get bigger and bigger - more pets, more people and more fun. If you haven't joined us before you should really try and make it this year. We have prizes in various categories - Best Homemade Costume, Funniest, Group/Duo, Overall Favorite and Best Performance or Trick. We have treats for you - and the pets - including my (in)famous carrot and peanut butter Pupcakes. There is Dunking for Discounts and Bobbing for Hot Dogs - or the other way around - seems to change every year. We use to use Rubber Duckies for the Discount Bobbing - but they didn't float - this year we have found actual Plastic Apples that float and you can put slips inside for the discounts - we will of course practice first.

We plan to have a ball this Howl-O-Ween - However there are a few things to keep in mind  - to make sure you keep you and your pets safe during Halloween.
Here are some tips I have gathered from a variety of others
thanks to RC Pets & the ASPCA:

• Chocolate in all forms can be toxic to dogs and cats — keep candies and chocolate out of reach from your pet. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
• Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them
• Pet costumes should not impede their movement, breathing, nor hearing and pets must be supervised to ensure that no part of the costume is accidental ingested.  For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress - just because you think it's cute it might not work for your dog. Use your best judgement.
• When greeting trick-or-treaters at the door, take extra care that your pet doesn't dart outside.
•  All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.
• If going trick-or-treating, make sure your pet is fitted properly for a collar and is leashed.  Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification
• Don't forget to clip on a Safety Light and/or pair your pet with a High Visibility Vest for added safety!