The American Humane Society estimates that over 10 million pets are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year, and:
* 1in 3 pets will become lost at some point during their lifetime
*Only 22% of lost dogs at shelters ever reunite with their families
As Albuquerque’s own local celebrity behaviorist, Dr. Jeff Nichol* likes to say, “dogs aren’t people in little furry suits.” meaning they think and behave differently than us. A dog will escape due to thier natural instincts, including bu not limited to their drive for sex; fear or anxiety causeed by an unexpected event; prey drive; and even just curiosity or boredom. (*for a wealth of dog training and behaviour resources, see Dr. Nicol’s blogs, videos , and articles here!
Step One for Safety: Spay or Neuter
The very best thing you can do for your pet and the community, is to spay/neuter. The CDC reports that XX% of dog bites come from unaltered pets. Learn more about the added health and behavioral benefits here. Or, see our calendar for the upcoming low cost spay/neuter and vaccination clinics that we know about.
Microchip your dog!
Microchip your dog and put an identification tag on them – (See extensive review below of tag options.) Your Vet and some low-cost vaccination clinics can also microchip your dog. A microchip is implanted under your dogs skin and can be scanned by any shelter of Vet office to reveal your contact information to make reuniting you with your best friend possible.
If you are looking for more helpful tips for keeping your dog safe, make sure to check out our additional resource tabs and community blog!
