Tag Archives: pandemic

Cats, Dogs, The Pet Professionals

Preventing pet theft

If there’s one good thing that came out of this pandemic, it would have to be a strengthened relationship between ourselves and our pets.

Pets have provided us with an unparalleled source of company and support in these challenging times, which we believe to be related to the increased demand for pets that we’ve seen in the past year.

However, as with any other situation in life, there are positives and negatives, which leads us to today’s blog post about pet theft.

According to the charity DogLost, reports of pet theft have increased by 170% in the last year.

As pet owners, we can only imagine how horrifying it must be to have your pet stolen, so we’d like to share our top four tips to help you keep your pets safe.

# 1: Safety while out and about

Before taking your dog for a walk, make sure that they are wearing their ID tags.

There are a number of precautions that you can take while out on a walk with your dogs to maximise your safety, including:

• Walking your dogs on a lead in public places
• Walking your dogs around other people, in well-lit places
• While playing fetch, not throwing their toys too far away
• Avoiding having a fixed walking routine
• Avoiding posting your location on Social Media
• Not leaving your dogs tied up outside when you go into a shop

#2: Pet training

There is one command that can be invaluable in these situations, which is a good recall. If you’re out playing with your dog off lead and you notice a stranger approaching, call your dog and keep them near you and out of other people’s reach.

#3: Home safety

Unfortunately, we can’t help but mention that not all cases of pet theft occur on the streets or in public gardens and that there are individuals who will break into your home to steal your dog if they find the opportunity to do so. If your pet is home alone, make sure to leave the doors locked and your windows secured. If you have an alarm, remember to turn it on.

#4: Identification

This will not prevent your pet from being stolen, but having your pet microchipped will be instrumental in reuniting you after they are hopefully found. Make sure that your contact information is updated with the microchip company as well as your vet.

One last thing worth mentioning is that dogs of popular breeds such as French bulldogs and Pugs, for example, as well as unneutered dogs, may be at increased risk of theft.

However, pet theft is something that can happen to anyone, so we hope that you follow our tips and never have any problems with this type of crime.

Cats, Dogs, Horses, The Pet Professionals

Coronavirus – As a pet owner, what do I need to know?

After COVID-19 was characterised as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on 11 March, it is now more important than ever that we protect ourselves and help everyone else at the same time.

Basic preventive measures against the virus include:

  • Washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds;
  • Avoiding crowded places and maintaining a social distance of at least 2 metre;
  • Avoiding touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth;
  • Covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue if you cough and sneeze;
  • Seeking early medical advice if you feel any of the common symptoms;
  • Following directions of your local health authority.

It is also a good idea to make sure you have sufficient supplies at home in case you are infected or need to be quarantined. This includes (but is not limited to) food and medication for both your family and your pets.

At the moment, there is no evidence that pets can be infected with COVID-19 or be a source of infection to other animals or humans. As such, there is no need to separate yourself from your companion.
There are, indeed, coronaviruses that can affect pets, including canine coronavirus and feline coronavirus, but these are not associated with the current outbreak, which is caused by a new coronavirus, SARS-Cov-2.

So, as a pet owner, if you get sick with COVID-19, what can you do?

  • If possible, ask someone else to care for your pets.
  • If not, limit contact with them – avoid petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food. Also, wash your hands before and after you interact with pets and wear a facemask around them.

If your pet develops an unexplained illness and has been exposed to a person with COVID-19 (yourself or others), talk to the public health official working with the person with COVID-19. If you’re advised to take your pet to the vet, call your veterinary practice beforehand to let them know that they’ll be seeing a sick pet that has been exposed to a person with COVID-19.

Adapted from the WSAVA advisory document.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, please visit WHO’s website.