Keep Cats Indoors

• Indoor cats live much longer than cats that go outdoors. Car collisions, attacks by other animals, and even sometimes by people, claim the lives of many outdoor cats while they are still very young.
• Indoor cats are healthier. Diseases like FIV (feline AIDS) and feline leukemia are contracted through blood and saliva. There is no vaccination to prevent FIV.

Don't Tie or Chain Dogs Outside

• Dogs are social creatures. They get bored when tied up and can break loose. They get hit by cars or run away and can't find their way back home. Thousands of lost, unclaimed dogs are euthanized in New York shelters every year.
• Dogs that run loose or are left unattended in their yard can also be stolen and sold to laboratories or to dogfight operations.
• Giving your dog lots of exercise and a safe place to live inside will help ensure a happy member of your family.

Obey Leash Laws

• Even dogs who know their way home can get lost, hit by cars, attacked by other animals, or caught in traps set for wildlife.

Fix Broken Latches on Doors and Gates

• Make sure they can't be easily pushed open.
• Supervise young children when going in and out of the house - some dogs and cats are notoriously good "darters."
• Check for spaces under fences where "diggers" can get under.

Keep Identification Tags On Your Pet

• License and rabies tags
• Your own ID tag with your phone number
• Ask your veterinarian about tattoos and microchips. (Microchipping is also done at MHHS.)

Spay or Neuter Your Pet

• It helps stop the desire to roam.
• Spaying or neutering by six months of age can also prevent and even solve common behavior problems like "marking" and leg lifting, and even some aggressive behaviors.
• Spaying or neutering can also help prevent diseases later in life, like cancer.