07/08/2025
Here are some things you can do to reduce the likelihood of losing your pet this summer. July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month. We should focus on not losing our pet all year round, but July, there's a lot of awareness about the issue. So for one thing, when you keep your dog in the yard, make sure that there's no broken fence posts, uh, there's no holes in the fence, the gate closes properly. You could even put a lock on your gate so that the door doesn't accidentally get open from the outside, those kind of things to keep your pet safe in the yard. And for cats, if they need to be outside, make sure you have them on a harness and a, a tether outside, and make sure they're supervised so that nothing happens to them while they're outside. Or, you could build a catio, which a lot of people are doing nowadays, which keeps them safe and secure in your backyard. Another tip, um, for when you're out walking your dog, make sure they're always on a leash. Make sure they have a secure collar, secure leash clasp so it's not gonna come undone. Um, if you take them to the dog park, make sure that it's secure, that you can s- keep your eye on them at all times, those kind of things, just to make them safe when they're out of the yard as well. Another one for a cat is if, if you're having someone come over to take care of your cat when you're away, um, maybe just tell them not to let your cat outside, keep an eye on them. It's... Some cats are really prone to darting outside when you open the door, like mine, so make sure they're aware of those things and always paying attention to where your cat is. Another thing is, too, like this weekend, we had a major thunder and lightning. Some dogs and cats are really scared of thunder and lightning and will get spooked and run. So, make sure during those times and if you know there's fireworks coming up that your pets are indoors where they're safe and secure and not scared and not gonna run away on you.