PLEASE...WATCH YOUR PETS!

Yesterday I had to impound two dogs. They were running at large, and had attacked a stray cat and killed it. There is still another pair of dogs out there that attacked a cat, and injured it badly enough it had to be euthanized.

The issue of them running at large to begin with aside, there is the issue of animals attacking and killing other animals which can never be condoned, regardless of whether the victims are stray or not.

The first problem is that we have far too many people who still feel it is ok to let Fido out to run around unsupervised. It's not. Today a stray cat, tomorrow a small dog...or a child running around in their own yard. We all would like to believe our pets are not capable of such things...but the reality is always a little more tragic.

The second problem is that many dogs are not being properly socialized, with people and with other animals. The end result is often tragic, not only for the victim of the attack, but for the attacking pet as well. Even more tragic is that this could all be prevented in the first place.

A new year is just around the corner. My hope is that all pet owners will realize the potential difficulties that can arise from not watching your pets when they are outside. All dogs and cats that reside within the city limits of Eureka are required to have current City tags and Rabies tags. All pets outdoors are required to be properly restrained, either on a lead or inside a fenced enclosure, unless they are under the direct control of the owner in their front yard. If you take you dog for a walk, it must be on a leash.

There will be a change this upcoming year, making violations of these ordinances even more costly for the owner than they are now. So please, watch your pets when they are outdoors. It is never permissible to just open the door & let them roam free to "do their business", while you busy yourself with checking your mail or fixing that cup of coffee. The excuse of " I just let them out for a minute..." will not help if your dog is picked up for running at large, especially if they injured or killed another animal while doing so. For those pet owners who feel so inclined, they may even choose to pursue legal avenues against irresponisible pet owners who have pets that attack & kill other beloved pets. And if these animals attack a person, a lawsuit is almost a certainty.

So make a New Years Resolution to spend more time with your dogs this year, and get them properly trained & socialized. Your pets will be better for the effort, and the community as a whole will be much safer too! And get those tags! That way if by some fluke of circumstance, your pet should escape its enclosure, we can make sure they get home as soon as possible. Let's work together in this New Year to make our community more pet responsible. Everyone will benefit from the effort!