Lost and Found: Keeping Your Pets Safe
By epetsure
In honor of Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, epetsure is going to demystify what an animal control officer does, and hopefully do away with some of the negative stereotypes that are floating around in the world about this occupation.
Who are animal control officers?
Most animal control officers are either police officers who are part of a larger police department, but have been trained and are equipped to handle animal related calls, or they are police officers that are assigned to be animal control officers, and belong to an entirely separate municipal department, such as the health division.
What do animal control officers do?
Although how they become animal control officers may differ, their general duties remain the same, including but not limited to:
- Protect the public’s health
- Take care of lost and animals
- Reunite lost pets with their owners
- Investigate all bite cases
- Report cruelty and neglect
- Handle all suspected rabid animals
- Pick up dead or injured animals
- Euthanize animals
- Mediate disputes between neighbors when barking dogs or roaming cats create a nuisance
- Pick up stray animals
What are stray animals?
Stray animals or strays are pets that are lost or have managed to escape from their home or yard, and left to wander the streets. Most strays do not have the proper identification to help Animal Control Officers reunite them with their owners. This is why it’s so important to always make sure your has the proper identification with your contact information. This way if your pet ever becomes separated from you, an animal control officer or even a Good Samaritan will be able to safely return your pet to you.
National Pet I.D. Week is actually next week, but we feel that it’s so important and relevant to this week’s topic that we just couldn’t wait.
Aside from always making sure that your pet has a collar with all the necessary pet I.D. tags, another way that veterinarians, shelters, humane societies and law enforcement agencies, including animal control officers, can identify your pet is with a microchip.
What is a microchip?
A microchip is a very tiny electronic device that is encoded with an identification number unique to your pet.
How is this device implanted?
The microchip is inserted under the skin, usually near the scruff of the neck or in between the shoulder blades, using a hollow needle. It looks and feels no different than an ordinary vaccination. The procedure shouldn’t hurt very much but it can be done while the pet is under anesthesia for another procedure, such as a spay or neuter.
How does the microchip work?
Once implanted, the microchip will provide a permanent form of identification that cannot be lost or easily removed. The veterinarian will give you the information needed to register your pet with the appropriate agency, so be sure to keep all your contact information updated when you move or change your phone number.
What if my pet gets lost?
The majority of humane societies and animal shelters have microchip readers and they routinely scan all stray and inured animals. The ID number is then passed along to the appropriate agency and they arrange for your pet to be returned to you.
epetsure knows that your fur baby means the world to you. That’s why ensuring your pet has all the proper identification could mean the difference between a happy reunion and never seeing your best friend again.
