Controlling Your Pet
Protecting your community means being responsible for your pet while on and off your property. Always being able to control your pet is essential to responsible pet ownership.
Wandering and free roaming pets can injure people and animals, cause property damage, and create unplanned puppies and kittens. Wandering and free roaming pets can also encounter traffic and other hazards that can cause your pet serious injury or even death.
Even on your property, it is your responsibility to have a pet confined or under restraint to allow utility personnel, postal workers and others the necessary access to do their jobs. Unprovoked injuries on or off your property can cause serious injury and medical problems and lead to citations, legal issues, and large expenses.
When your pet is left at home, it should be safely confined. It should not be able to escape or damage other people’s property, such as by digging under a fence to an adjoining property.
If you are out-of-town leaving a pet behind, it should be checked on regularly. The person doing this should be familiar with your pet and able to restrain it if necessary. Even when you are not present at home, you are responsible for the actions and safety of your pet.
Socialize Your Pet
If you intend to take your pet to a dog park or other pet-friendly facility, it is important to make sure your pet is socialized with people and other animals. This is particularly the case if you plan to release it from restraint such as you might at a free-play facility.
Prior to being let off-leash around others, your pet should be able to obey your direction and come when called. Obedience training both in classes and at home is very beneficial. Thorough on-leash socialization in parks, on sidewalks and at pet-related businesses will additionally prepare your pet socially. You can learn more about behavior issues in the Pet Behavior Module in this program.
Clean Up After Your Pet
Another part of pet ownership that can affect neighbors or other members of your community is the responsibility of cleaning up after your pet, especially when it is off of your property.
If your pet spreads trash, digs, or otherwise creates a problem, the best action is to immediately address it yourself. Once neighbors have had a few issues with your pet, it may be difficult to regain their confidence and friendship.
Pet waste materials, both urine and feces, can be damaging, and they create unpleasant odors. Waste materials can burn and kill vegetation. Pet waste is also harmful to streams and other waterways. Pet waste is not a fertilizer.
Regardless of your type of pet, its waste should not be allowed to accumulate on your property. If your pet is going to be off of your property, you should be equipped with plastic bags to collect waste for appropriate disposal. Pet stores offer bags and dispensers for this purpose, and many pet-friendly facilities supply them. There are even private companies and services that you can hire to regularly clean up your yard.
Protect the Health of Your Community
Animal disease can seriously affect people in the community. Rabies, for example, can be transmitted to any mammal, including you, other people, wild animals, and pets. It is for this reason that preventive vaccination of dogs, cats and pet ferrets against rabies is required by law in the United States. [6]
In 2014, according the Center for Disease Control, there were 6,033 rabies cases reported across the US and Puerto Rico. That was an increase of 445 cases from 2013. Rabies was found mostly in wild animals, but also in domestic pets. Known and reported 2014 cases include Raccoons, Bats, Skunks, Foxes, Cats, Cattle, and Dogs. There were also 3 human cases in 2013 and 1 case in 2014. (10)
Once the rabies virus is contracted and symptomatic, no cure available. The virus is nearly always fatal at that point. Because of the lethal nature of the rabies virus, it is mandatory that all pets receive a periodic rabies virus vaccination.
Some forms of the rabies vaccination last for several years, but all vaccines must be periodically given for your pet to be up-to-date and properly protected. Your veterinarian will know what is required by your state or county as well as the best vaccination schedule for your pet.
There can be severe medical and legal consequences should your pet bite someone and not be current with its rabies vaccination. As discussed in the Civil Law Module, you could be held financially responsible for personal injuries, medical bills, and even face a law suit for wrongful death should an unvaccinated pet infect someone with rabies.
You can also face criminal penalties, including fines, restitution, other judge imposed conditions, and even jail time for failing to properly vaccinate your pets.
You can protect your pet, yourself, and the community with responsible care to prevent pet related diseases and providing your pet regular vaccinations. If your pet spends time outside, check regularly for fleas and ticks. For internal parasites and worms, your veterinarian will recommend periodic testing and necessary treatment. All these things combined will protect you, your pet, and the community at large.