St. Charles County Department of Community
Health & The Environment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 29, 2009
| CONTACT: | |
| Theresa Williams, Division of Humane Services Director | (636) 949-7387 |
| Cameron Satterfield, Public Information Officer | (636) 949-7408 |
Keep Your Pets Safe This Independence Day Weekend
St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center Offers Safety Tips
St. Charles County, MO - Independence Day is this weekend, and many St. Charles County residents are already celebrating with fireworks. However, the loud bangs and booms can cause pets to panic. Area animal shelters, including the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center, experience increased impounds around the 4th of July due to pets trying to escape the noise.
If your dog or cat is sensitive to loud noises, don’t take chances. Protect your pet now. Follow these simple steps from the Pet Adoption Center.
- Keep your pet secured indoors. Even the best behaved dog will jump fences when scared, and cats will run away to hide. In their panic, normally friendly animals may try to bite.
- If you already know that your pet is afraid of loud noises, take extra precautions. Place your dog or cat in a crate and put them in a dark room with the door closed. Panicked animals may hurt themselves or damage property when not securely confined.
- If your dog is normally kept outside, let them stay in a cool garage or basement instead.
- Don’t assume your pet won’t react just because you haven’t had problems in the past. Many animals develop sensitivity to noise later in life.
- Pets cannot be de-sensitized to noise. If you notice signs of discomfort, secure your dog or cat inside whenever it gets nervous or frightened.
Most importantly, make sure your pet has an ID tag or is microchipped. Even cats can wear an ID tag if it is attached to a break-away collar. The St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center offers microchipping for just $10. Call (636) 949-PETS (7387) for more information.
The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment is committed to the protection and enhancement of health and the quality of life for all members of our community. For more information, call (636) 949-7400 or visit www.scchealth.org.
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