|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Shelters across the county traditionally experience an increase of pets in the shelters for the summer with a distinct peak of arrivals surrounding the July 4 holiday. This year Miami-Dade County Animal Services Division (ASD) is feeling the strain on shelter capacity and resources more than ever and our pets need the community’s help.
Animal Services currently is housing pets in portable kennels in conference rooms to help expand capacity but that won’t be enough. The division is seeking to get info out to the community about what to do if you find a lost pet, if you have lost your pet, and how to prevent lost pets, as well as how they can help make space at the shelters for injured and critical needs pets.
Found pets:
• Residents who find pets are asked to keep them in their homes or find a neighbor who can foster the pet temporarily;
• Keeping a pet in their neighborhood, if they are found, gives them the best chance of being reunified. They have a greater than 83 percent chance, if kept where they are found;
• Usually reunited with their family within 72 hours if kept in neighborhood were found;
• Take them to local vet to have them scanned for a microchip;
• Take them for walks around the area and canvas your neighbors — chances are they are within 1 square mile of home;
• Send pet picture and information to the shelter so that ASD can add to its found pets inventory;
• Put up flyers and
• Post them on social media and apps like ring, next door and PetcoLoveLost.com.
Lost pets:
• Check the shelter if your pet has been found and search 24 pet Connect daily;
• Canvas the neighborhood;
• Put up flyers, and
• Post them on social media and apps like ring, next door and PetcoLoveLost.com.
Importance of microchipping
It’s important to ensure your pets are always wearing a collar with their tags, as a backup you should have your pet microchipped and be sure to register and maintain your contact information.
ASD Shelter is over capacity at this time. Not only is it asked that you keep found pets and help them find their way home, but it is in urgent need of adopter and foster families to make space for new arrivals and those pets in critical need of assistance.
Anything you can do to help during this critical time is greatly appreciated.
