WAKE ANIMAL ADVOCATES GROUP

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NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH FOR ANIMALS™

People around the country show they care about their neighbors, by establishing Neighborhood Crime Watch programs. But what about the animals? Pets and wildlife need care and protection, too, and a Neighborhood Watch for Animals can make a community safer for everyone who lives there. If your neighborhood already has a Watch program, you can share these ideas with other participants. Or, you can start a Neighborhood Watch for Animals program of your own. You’ll find information about Neighborhood Crime Watches at www.ncpc.org.  And to help protect animals in your community, follow these suggestions:

Know Your Neighborhood’s Pets

In a perfect world no pets would be out on their own, roaming the neighborhood. But unfortunately, some dogs and cats escape or are allowed to roam unsupervised. Some have regular routes and know their way home. Others get lost and need help to get back to their families. The more you know about the animals who live in your neighborhood, the more you’ll be able to help. It can be as simple as paying attention to the dogs and cats who live around you. That way, when you see an animal out alone, you’ll be more likely to know how to contact his or her owner, or how to get him the animal home.  Consider creating a neighborhood roster of pets and pet owners that you and others can use in emergencies, and include pets’ names, basic descriptions or photographs, and contact information.  Encourage all pet owners to keep collars and identification tags on their pets. And keep the phone number for your local animal shelter or animal control department agency handy in case you see a pet you don’t know, or an animal who needs assistance.

Pay Attention to Abuse, Neglect, and Abandonment

A dog left chained or tethered outside, without food, water, or shelter. A sick or injured animal whose condition goes untreated. A house teeming with cats. An animal showing obvious signs of abuse. A neighborhood child who throws rocks at squirrels. Pets left behind in homes or apartments, or on the street, when their owners move. All are cases of neglect and abuse that put animals in danger and may violate the law. You can help first by being observant. Is a situation getting worse? Do you hear barking, whimpering, meowing, or scratching from inside a home after the resident has moved? Do you see an act of overt cruelty? Don’t turn your back. But don’t put yourself at risk through direct confrontation.  Call the police or your local animal shelter immediately. Also be alert to increasing reports of animal abuse—there could be a serial abuser in your area.

Watch for Pets in Parked Cars

A pet left in a parked car can be in danger, especially in warm weather. On a warm day, the temperature in a parked car can reach more than 100 degrees in a matter of minutes, even with the windows partially open. A pet can easily suffer heatstroke or suffocate and die. If you see a pet in a car who appears to be showing any signs of heat stress, call police or the an animal shelter right away. Watch for pets left in cars in cold weather, as well.

Stranger Danger

If pets start disappearing in your neighborhood or, if you see an increasing number of “lost pet”

signs, advise your neighbors to watch for signs indications that a pet thief is at work. Urge pet

owners to keep their animals safely confined or appropriately supervised. Be sure to alert your

local animal shelter to your suspicions as well.

This information provided by The Humane Society of the United States  http://www.hsus.org