|
American Boston Terrier Rescue |
 |
Updates
A 501c3 tax-deductible Charity!
The BRUCE project
Find out all about the dream shelter we at ABTR are trying to build. Please help us realize our dream.BostonBark
Our new Message Board!
Wanda's blog
Visit Wanda's Blog to follow "A day in the life of a rescuer...".Photo of the Month Contest
Don't forget to enter the contest!You have until the 28th of each month to send in entries for the next month.
Connect with us
American Boston Terrier Rescue
Follow us on Twitter.
SAFEGUARD YOUR PETS BEFORE THEY ARE LOST!
| Safeguard your pets before they are lost by following the common-sense tips below. |
| PHOTOGRAPHS - Get several good photos of your pet NOW, before they are lost! Pets change over time just as people do, so make sure you update your pet photos each year. Make sure you take close-up shots so that marking and other details show up well. Keep taking photoss until you get a few good ones that really look like your pet. Most snapshots of pets look like any other dog of the same breed. You want your photos to be unique and your pet to be unmistakable, so make sure you get any unusual marking on camera. REMEMBER - Keep recent photos available. Take a photo of your pet BEFORE he is groomed and then again after his haircut if you have a long haired dog. If your dog got loose today, how much would he resemble that freshly groomed photo? Remember to get a shot of the whole dog from front, back and both sides as well as the detail shots. These photos will be invaluable if your pet is ever lost. |
| A collar and phone tag are the most important form of ID you can have for your pet as ANYONE who finds your dog can read the tags. ALWAYS keep a collar or harness on your pet with a tag that has your CURRENT PHONE NUMBER on it. Keep a CURRENT rabies tag and pet license tag attached to your pet's collar as well. Often people who find your dog will call the vet on the rabies tag if your tag with your current number is not on the dog. They can also check with local authorities on the pet license. Ensure that YOU can be located if your pet is found by keeping your pets ID tags current with your most recent phone numbers both cell and home. HOWEVER, pets can and do lose their collars on the streets from people taking them off, to them getting hung on something. For real security, a backup ID is needed (see the next two items). |
| MICROCHIPS - Talk to your vet about having your pet microchipped. A microchip provides
positive and reliable identification for your pet. All Texas shelters are required by law to scan
animals for microchips. We suggest that you choose a universal type of microchip such as the
HomeAgain microchip that universal scanners can pick up and not one that is used in Europe on a
different bandwidth than the universal microchips. The HomeAgain microchip is distributed by
Schering-Plough Animal Health. The American Kennel Club maintains a nationwide database of these
microchip numbers. The chip is constructed in a way that tends to prevent migration from the
injection site. Call (800)234-6373 to find a Vet ear you who offers this product. REMEMBER TO REGISTER YOUR MICROCHIP AND KEEP YOUR PHONE NUMBER WITH THE REGISTRY CURRENT! |
| TATTOOS - Ask your vet about a tattoo for your pet. Tattoos can also provide positive identification if done correctly. We think the best time to tattoo your pet is when they are already at the vet to have a spay/neuter or other surgery performed. That way the vet can tattoo your pet while they are under sedation, the tattoo will be clearer and easier to read and your pet can be tattooed on the upper inner thigh or belly area where there is little hair cover as possible. Over time hair can grow over a tattoo. and for this reason, we don't like tattoos as well as we do microchips for identification. A tattoo is often very difficult to read because of the possible hair growth over it and the lost animal may be frightened and will not allow anyone to inspect his thigh or belly. Some people tattoo animals in the ears, but we do not recommend that area as pet thieves have been known to cut off a tattooed ear. |
| ENVIRONMENT - Escape-proof your yard's fence so your dog will be safely confined. Be sure to check your fence regularly for new escape routes caused by digging or pushing loose boards or bending wires. ABTR DOES NOT RECOMMEND ELECTRIC FENCING!!! Remember electric fences are NOT a safe place to keep a unsupervised pet. IF they are attacked by a dog or pack of dogs who are not kept out by your electric fence, they could roll through the fence line with only one jolt and then they are out and will be afraid to come back in. Keep ALL gates securely locked. This is for the safety of both your pet and your family as well as any guests (wanted or unwanted) you may have. If you have a door darter, make sure he or she is on a leash, crated or safely enclosed in another room when you open a door that is not to a fenced in yard. Never allow your pets to roam free in the neighborhood. Keep them on a leash at all times when not in your home or yard. Always keep them on a leash or in a crate when taking them anywhere. If a dog gets frightened and loose in an unfamiliar area, the likelihood of its ever finding its way home are practically nothing. Plus when a dog is frightened in strange surroundings, it will either run or hide and will not come to you. |
| TRAINING - Train your dog to associate an "Acme Dog Whistle" with pleasant things like liver treats and praise. Blow the whistle just before you feed them. By using this training method, your pet will be more likely to come running joyfully to you when you use the whistle to find them when they are lost. |
| SPAY/NEUTER - This procedure has been proven effective as both males and females are much less likely to wander off looking for a female in heat or a male to breed with when they are in season if they are "fixed". An added benefit is that they will live a longer, happier, healthier life if they are spayed or neutered. |
Graphics may not be used in any form without written permission from ABTR. If you like our new graphics, I suggest you contact Lili Chin and if you indicate American Boston Terrier Rescue, she will donate a portion of her proceeds from your drawing back to ABTR.