Santa Rosa, CA – July 8, 2016 – Over
the July 4th holiday weekend Sonoma County
Animal Services (SCAS) and its partners took in nearly 50 stray animals.
SCAS worked with community partners such as Pet Care and Redwood Veterinary
Hospital to shelter the 29 dogs found over the holiday weekend in order for
their respective owners to claim them.
SCAS
and its partners have already returned 25 dogs to their owners. Owners who have
a missing pet may call the Animal Shelter at 707-565-7100 to verify if SCAS has
your pet. Typically the period from July 1st to July 5th
is the busiest time of year for SCAS.
“Keeping
your pets safe during all holidays is very important due to a possible rise in
loud noises which can be scary for your pet – this holds true not just for a
holiday like July 4th, where there is an abundance of loud noises
going off randomly,” stated SCAS Director John Skeel. “Even during times when
family and friends come to visit for an event or gathering, ensure your pets
have proper identification on them at all times so they can be returned home
quickly. We want to return pets to their rightful owner as quickly and safely
as possible.”
One
of the main benefits to licensing your dog is the
ability the license gives SCAS to properly identify and track a dog that is
found outside of its home and return the dog immediately without having the dog
go to the shelter. Licensing also serves as proof that your dog has been
vaccinated against rabies. Having your dog vaccinated is vital to protect the
public’s health as rabies is transmittable to humans.
“Our
Animal Services team works incredibly hard, especially during the holiday
season, to promote pet safety. We want to encourage the public to get their dog
licensed and keep their dog’s license up-to-date. By licensing your dog, you
become a partner in ongoing efforts to make our community healthier and safer
for all residents,” Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane stated.
State
and local laws require that dogs must be licensed each year and have a current
rabies vaccination. Many people don’t know that a license is required by law in
Sonoma County for all dogs four months and older.
“A
dog license shows the community that your pet is a loved member of your family.
By licensing your pet, you increase the chances of being reunited should your
pet get lost. A dog license can be traced 24 hours per day, 365 days a year,
and in many cases your lost dog can be delivered to your door, avoiding a shelter
stay and accompanying shelter fees,” said Skeel.
SCAS
provides dog licenses for residents of unincorporated Sonoma County, the City
of Santa Rosa, and the Town of Windsor. For more information about how to
obtain a license for your dog please visit the SCAS website. If you do not
live in these areas, please purchase your dog license from the agency that
serves your community.
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