|
COMPANION
ANIMALS (“PETS”)
- What
is RMAD's Companion Animals Program?
- What
should I do if I witness abuse or neglect?
- Where
can I get legal help with an issue pertaining to my companion
animal?
- My
neighbor’s dog is chained up outside all day. What can I
do?
- Can
I rescue my neighbor’s dog myself if he is being neglected
or abused?
- Whom
do I contact to find another home for my companion?
- Is
it legal to have exotic animals in my home?
- What
do I do with my companion if it is illegal to have him or her
in my town?
- What
can I do about my neighbor’s barking dog?
- Is
it better to get an animal from a shelter or a pet store?
- My
new apartment doesn’t allow animals. What do I do with my
companion?
- Where
can I find an apartment that allows pets?
- Whom
can I call for advice on whether or not to declaw my cat?
- I
took my dog to a veterinarian / groomer / boarding facility where
she was abused / neglected / injured. What can I do?
- How
can I find my lost cat?
- How
can I keep my neighbor’s cat out of my garden?
- What
should I do about a dead animal on the road?
- If
I take my cat to a no-kill shelter, will she be safe from euthanasia?
- Is
it OK to buy food for my companion animal at a pet store?
- What
should I do if I observe unacceptable conditions at a pet store?
- I
know a veterinarian who is unethical and abusive. What can I do?
- My
cat is trapped under the house. How do I get her out safely?
- How
can I help an animal tangled up in a fence (or fishing line)?
- My
niece wants to breed her rabbits. What should I say to her?
- What
are tendonectomies?
- Is
there a veterinarian in the area that does NOT declaw cats?
- Is
there a disaster response team for animal emergencies in Colorado?
1.
What is RMAD’s Companion Animals Program?
Some 4 million cats and dogs are killed in U.S. shelters every year
(http://www.hsus.org/ace/11830).
Millions roam the streets homeless. Many with whom we share our
homes are neglected or otherwise abused. Furthermore, the Colorado
Department of Agriculture does an unacceptable job of regulating
facilities involved with the sale and care of companion animals.
RMAD’s Companion
Animals Program addresses the issues of neglected and abused animals
through a focused education campaign. In 2003, the Companion Animals
Program developed a low-cost spay/neuter flyer in English and Spanish
and began an ambitious distribution to 50,000 households. Each year,
the program logs dozens of pet store complaints in Colorado and
channels complainants to the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
The program also responds to public inquiries about companion animal
issues.
2.
What should I do if I witness abuse or neglect?
Document the abuse—get photos or video if you can. Contact
your local humane society to investigate. In Boulder, the number
is 303-442-4030. In Denver, south of Colfax, contact the Denver
Dumb Friends League at 303-923-0022. North of Colfax, contact the
Colorado Humane Society and SPCA at 303-988-4465. If there is no
humane society or other animal welfare organization in your area,
contact your police department or sheriff.
3.
Where can I get legal help with an issue pertaining to my companion
animal?
RMAD recommends contacting a good attorney. Three we recommend are
Madeline Duncan (303-431-2377), Jennifer Melton 303-642-0368) and
Mark Reinhardt (303-334-4802).
Also check out the Animal Legal Defense Funds web site at www.aldf.org
for more information.
4.
My neighbor’s dog is chained up outside all day. What can
I do?
A first step might be to talk to your neighbor about the situation.
You could offer a toy for the dog (e.g., a Kong toy filled with
peanut butter) to help relieve his or her boredom. You could offer
to walk the dog or to have play sessions. If the neighbor is unreceptive
and you think the dog is being neglected, contact your humane society’s
animal control department or your local law enforcement agency.
Some communities have banned chaining or have included chaining
provisions in their animal protection ordinances. Check with your
local law enforcement agency, humane society or animal rights organization
to determine what is acceptable in your area. If there are no laws
regarding chaining in your area, contact your local legislators
and tell them that chaining should be illegal.
5.
Can I rescue my neighbor’s dog myself if he is being neglected
or abused?
There are many reasons why this is not a good idea. You would probably
be trespassing, and taking the animal could be construed as theft.
You may be putting yourself in a dangerous situation if the guardian
becomes angry or violent, and the dog may defend himself or otherwise
injure you in the process. The best thing to do is to contact your
local humane society’s cruelty investigations department or
local police department and let them do the rescuing.
6.
Whom do I contact to find another home for my companion?
At RMAD we say, “Companion animals are forever”—the
same as children. If you are considering giving your friend away
because of behavioral issues, please contact an animal behavior
consultant before doing so. A consultant may be able to resolve
whatever problem you are having with your companion so that he or
she can remain with you. In Boulder, the Humane Society of Boulder
Valley’s Pet Supply and Training Center phone number is 303-442-5995.
The staff has extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with
behavioral issues and is dedicated to keeping animals with their
human families. The Denver Dumb Friends League also has a behavior
helpline at 877-738-0217 as well as many helpful fact sheets on
its web site at www.ddfl.org.
If you believe you simply
must relinquish your companion, NEVER place a “free to a good
home” ad in the newspaper. Your companion animal may end up
being “adopted” by an unscrupulous animal dealer and
sold as a research subject. Instead, place fliers at area humane
societies and veterinary clinics. If you cannot keep your companion
animal with you until he or she is adopted by a new family, a humane
society or breed-specific rescue group may be your last resort.
Be sure to ask about the group’s policy regarding notification
and/or return of an animal in the event that a decision to euthanize
is made.
7.
Is it legal to have exotic animals in my home?
It depends upon the laws of the city in which you reside. Contact
your local humane society or code enforcement officers for a list
of species that may not be kept as companions.
The larger question here
is: Should exotic animals be kept as companion animals? RMAD believes
the answer is no. Whether stripped from the wild or bred in captivity,
the life of an exotic “pet” is not a pleasant one. While
being shipped to pet shops, birds’ beaks are taped shut. Animals
are often drugged for easier transport. Up to 80 percent of birds
in a given shipment die in transit, and other animals don’t
fare much better. A survey of animal shelters concluded that 60
percent of wild animals kept as “pets” die within the
first month of their captivity. Twenty percent more die within the
first year.
It is also dangerous
for humans to live with exotic animals because of the possibilities
of animal attacks and transmittal of various diseases such as tuberculosis
and salmonella, which are sometimes carried by exotic animals. These
diseases can often be transmitted to humans as well as other animals
in the home. For more information on the exotic pet trade, check
out PETA’s exotic animals fact sheet at http://www.peta-online.org/mc/facts/fsc4.html,
The Association of Sanctuaries’ site at www.taosanctuaries.org/wildlife
and RMAD’s Prairie Dogs as Pets page at http://www.prairiedogs.org/pets.html.
8.
What do I do with my companion if it is illegal to have him or her
in my town?
If you are unwilling or unable to move to a location where your
companion can live, you’ll need to find a new
home for him. If you’re moving to a new area and your
companion is a pit bull, boa constrictor or a member of some other
potentially restricted species, be sure to check with local authorities
to find out if the community is amenable to having both of you as
members.
9.
What can I do about my neighbor’s barking dog?
Try talking to your neighbor. If the neighbor is unwilling to work
with you, call your local humane society and let its animal officers
confront your neighbor instead.
There are several reasons
the neighbor’s dog may be barking. He or she may be bored
or lonely. Try talking to your neighbor about providing more social
interaction and/or playtime for the dog. Volunteer to spend time
with the dog if you can.
The dog may also be barking
in order to “guard” her territory. Try to show the dog
that you are not threatening. Get together with the neighbors and
have them introduce you to the dog on neutral territory. Let the
dog get to know you as a friend instead of as a foe. Inquire as
to whether the dog has been spayed or neutered—either of which
will decrease territorial behavior.
10.
Is it better to get an animal from a shelter or a pet store?
A shelter. Approximately 5 million companion animals are killed
every year because of the existence of pet stores and lack of homes
for animals in shelters. Mothers of pet store puppies and kittens
are treated as breeding machines and live horrible, caged lives
in puppy and kitten mills. Motivated by profit, breeders often sell
puppies and kittens before they are weaned and ready to leave their
mothers. These young animals also receive little human attention.
As a result, they are often sickly and under-socialized. Because
these animals are seen as a commodity, they are shipped with little
care and often die on the way to the pet store.
Shelters are for animals’
welfare, but pet stores exist for profit. As long as people buy
from pet stores, breeding mills will continue to exist, and animals
in shelters will be put to death. If you think you must have a purebred
animal, try connecting with a breed-specific rescue group. And remember
that 25 percent to 50 percent of animals in shelters are purebreds.
11.
My new apartment doesn’t allow animals. What do I do with
my companion?
Keep your friend and find an apartment where you both can live.
You could offer a larger damage deposit and show the owner of your
apartment how well-behaved your companion animal is. Glowing references
from previous rentals where you and your companion have lived may
help. If you can’t convince your landlord to accept your companion,
look for a more suitable home. If you live in Boulder, check out
the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s web site (www.boulderhumane.org)
and click on “Community Information” on the sidebar.
There you will find a listing of rentals that allow dogs, cats or
both. If you live elsewhere, try http://www.peoplewithpets.com.
12.
Where can I find an apartment that allows pets?
If you live in Boulder, check out the Humane Society of Boulder
Valley’s web site (www.boulderhumane.org)
and click on “Community Information” on the sidebar.
There you will find a listing of rentals that allow dogs, cats or
both. If you live elsewhere in the United States, try http://www.peoplewithpets.com.
13.
Whom can I call for advice on whether or not to declaw my cat?
RMAD recommends against declawing your cat. “Declawing”
is a misnomer. This painful procedure actually involves the removal
of the first joint of each digit and could more accurately be called
“detoeing.” It leaves your cat practically defenseless.
Even indoor cats escape outdoors, where they are extremely vulnerable
if declawed.
Without claws, your cat
may resort to biting when she feels threatened. Many studies have
found that declawed cats often have litterbox issues because of
the sensitivity of their feet. If you would like further information
on this topic, contact Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist, at http://www.littlebigcat.com
or call him at (720) 938-6794.
14.
I took my dog to a veterinarian / groomer / boarding facility where
she was abused / neglected / injured. What can I do?
-
Ask for
a complete copy of your animal’s file and/or medical records.
Document ALL evidence relating to the incident. This may include
veterinary reports, photographs, an exact chronology of all
contact with the establishment where the incident occurred,
a log of your companion’s behavior and a list of names
and contact information.
-
Make contact
with the veterinarian, manager or owner and tell them what you
believe happened.
-
Contact
your local police, humane society or animal control department
and provide them with a copy of all evidence. Keep all originals
whenever possible.
-
Be prepared
to file and sign a criminal complaint because a police or animal
control report may not be enough. In many situations, charges
cannot be filed by a police or animal control officer who did
not witness the incident.
-
Contact
experts for statements or put authorities in touch with recognized
experts who can testify or write affidavits about the conduct
involved.
-
File a complaint
with the Better Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce
outlining the facts of the complaint and send it with supporting
documents for their files. They will likely send you an official
form to fill out that summarizes the event. Copies are likely
provided to the business in question. Make sure you stick to
the facts and do not allege anything that you cannot prove or
testify to in a court of law, or you may well be sued for libel,
slander or defamation.
-
Send a copy
of the information and complaints to humane agencies or animal
protection agencies in your area.
-
Police reports
are a matter of public record, so don’t be surprised to
hear from the media about your case. Be sure to relay facts
accurately and concisely to the media. No matter whom you are
speaking to about this case, always stick to the facts and make
sure you never disparage anyone personally or professionally.
Just relate the facts – what you observed or know to be
true.
-
If you have
veterinary bills or other expenses as a result of the incident,
you can file suit for damages in small claims court. You can
try to recover veterinary costs and any money you paid for the
animal, including adoption costs.
15.
How can I find my lost cat?
As soon as you notice your companion is missing, hang fliers in
the neighborhood in which he or she escaped. Include a recent photo,
the area from which he or she disappeared, the date last seen and
your phone number. Be sure to file a “lost animal” report
with the humane society in your area. Go to area humane societies
in person to look for your companion. You might try putting an ad
in the newspaper as well.
To help ensure a safe
return in the event that your companion animal is lost, make sure
he or she wears a collar with your current home address and phone
number on it. You might also consider having a rice-sized microchip
implanted in your companion animal’s back. It is a noninvasive
procedure and would allow for a more expedient return of your friend
if he or she ends up at a shelter or veterinarian’s office
that has a microchip reader.
16.
How can I keep my neighbor’s cat out of my garden?
Ask your neighbor to keep the cat inside or at least out of your
garden. Consult your local humane society or police department to
inquire about “nuisance cat” laws if your neighbor will
not keep an eye on his/her cat. If you’re still in need of
a cat deterrent, here are a few suggestions:
-
Heavy bark
mulch takes away the cat’s pleasure of digging in the
soft soil.
-
Citrus peels
or citrus-scented oils may keep cats away.
-
Coffee grounds
may be used as a deterrent.
-
A motion-detecting
sprinkler can teach a cat that going in the garden means getting
wet.
-
A last resort
may be to put cat-proof fencing around your garden. The kind
of fencing used as a deer deterrent should work.
17.
What should I do about a dead animal on the road?
Dead animals should be removed from the road in order to prevent
them from attracting scavengers, who may also be killed by vehicles.
Many communities have carcass removal services. Look in the Yellow
Pages under “Animal Carcass Removal.” You may also call
your local humane society’s animal control officers to pick
up the body. If the city doesn’t have a humane society, contact
the police department.
18.
If I take my cat to a no-kill shelter, will she be safe from euthanasia?
If you must relinquish your companion animal, make sure to ask about the shelter’s euthanasia policy before doing so. Many “no-kill” shelters will in fact euthanize an animal if they determine that he or she is “unadoptable,” particularly if the animal is ill or behaves aggressively. The definition of “unadoptable” in some no-kill shelters can vary with the amount of space available, and animals may therefore be euthanized if such shelters become too crowded. Of course, another problem with some no-kill shelters is that they will go to any length to avoid euthanizing an animal, including keeping that animal in intensive confinement for months and years. And some no-kill shelters turn animals away at the door, which is often the responsible thing to do, but which renders the “no-kill” label less definitive.
19.
Is it OK to buy food for my companion animal at a pet store?
Don’t give your support to pet stores that sell live animals.
The profits that pet stores make selling food and toys help them
stay in business and continue exploiting animals. Pet stores are
inherently problematic businesses because they compete with shelters
in placing animals in homes. Millions of animals in shelters need
good homes, and pet stores just add to the problem by encouraging
the existence of puppy and kitten mills.
20.
What should I do if I observe unacceptable conditions at a pet store?
In Colorado, register your complaint with Department of Agriculture
inspectors (303-239-4167). This is the agency charged with overseeing
pet stores. Please let RMAD know about the outcome of your complaint
because we keep records on pet store problems and the way in which
the Department of Agriculture deals with them.
21.
I know a veterinarian who is unethical and abusive. What can I do?
The following information can be adapted to different situations
such as veterinary malpractice, cruelty, fraud and accidents in
grooming. Whether you are the guardian of the companion animal in
question or work at the facility where the incident occurred, here
are the first steps you should take:
-
File a complaint
with your local veterinary board and request that it investigate
and respond. Be sure to send a copy of the complaint to the
local veterinary association as well.
-
File a criminal
complaint with your local law enforcement agency and/or animal
control division.
-
File copies
of your complaint with the Better Business Bureau, local humane
society or SPCA, and local and state Consumer Affairs Offices.
-
You may
also decide to file a small claims suit and/or malpractice suit
against the veterinarian.
-
Be sure
that your complaints and statements are always clear, concise
and accurate. Don’t embellish, and don’t slander
those involved.
If you work in the veterinary
or animal care field, be sure to always investigate a place of business
before you accept a job there. Be aware of its past history and
current policies. For instance, if you don’t want to be involved
with controversial procedures such as declawing cats and debarking
dogs, look for a job where these procedures are not performed.
“I
took my dog to a veterinarian/groomer/boarding facility where she
was abused/neglected/injured. What can I do?”
Colorado Board of Veterinary
Medicine
www.dora.state.co.us/veterinarians/index.htm
1560 Broadway, Suite 1310
Denver, CO 80202
303-894-7755
For more information
on this topic, see PETA’s fact sheet on veterinary malpractice:
www.peta-online.org/mc/facts/fsc20.html
View the Veterinary Professional
Code of Ethics at www.cacvt.com/ethics.htm
Check out www.animalconcerns.org
for more information on this topic and many others.
Thanks to Michele
Rokke from Animal Protection of New Mexico (www.apnm.org).
22.
My cat is trapped under the house. How do I get her out safely?
Call your local humane society or animal control officer for assistance.
An animal can be injured during a rescue attempt by untrained personnel,
so always ask for qualified help whenever it is available to you.
Don’t risk serious injury to yourself. Prevent this situation
by keeping your cat indoors.
23.
How can I help an animal tangled up in a fence (or fishing line)?
Don’t risk serious injury to yourself, especially when dealing
with wildlife. Always call your local humane society or animal control
officer if you cannot safely assist an injured or trapped animal
by yourself. An animal can be further injured during a rescue attempt
by untrained personnel, so always ask for qualified help whenever
it is available to you.
24.
My niece wants to breed her rabbits. What should I say to her?
Tell her she can save a life by adopting a rabbit instead!
Thousands of rabbits
are killed every year as a result of irresponsible breeding. If
there is a desire for more rabbits in the household, by all means,
adopt one from a shelter! The rewards that two spayed / neutered
house rabbits bring to a family far outweigh the cheap thrill of
breeding the pair. Rabbits are intelligent, social animals. It should
be our goal to provide the ones we have with the best possible love
and care. If we believe we have the ability to care for more, we
should rescue them from probable death at shelters. A few years
ago, the Denver Dumb Friends League reported that about two out
of three rabbits who were brought into the shelter were killed because
no one wanted them. With statistics like this, there’s no
need for breeding.
Male rabbits should be
neutered when they’re about 3 to 5 months old because once
they reach sexual maturity, they may become aggressive and mean.
They also mark their territory by spraying. Unspayed female rabbits
have an 80 percent chance of contracting ovarian cancer. Unspayed
females are also aggressive and tend to show “nest-guarding”
behavior by biting anyone who comes near her when she’s in
her cage.
Rabbits have a reputation
for being prolific. That reputation is well-deserved. Once a female
gives birth to her first litter, she may already be pregnant with
another litter. Females can get pregnant immediately after giving
birth. A rabbit can give birth to a litter of between one and 14
babies, with the average being six. Not many people want to keep
14 baby bunnies around, and it is difficult to find good homes for
that many rabbits. Also, the babies will reach sexual maturity in
about 4 to 6 months and will start having litters of their own.
That can add up to a whole lot of rabbits quickly!
There are simply too
many rabbits and too few homes. Rabbit guardians should be encouraged
to spay and neuter their furry friends, and not contribute to the
overpopulation problem.
Thanks to Kim Berndt
of the House Rabbit Society (http://www.rabbit.org).
For more information,
visit:
http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/hidden-cost-of-breeding.html
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html
The House Rabbit Handbook as a guide for rabbit guardians, available
at http://www.rabbit.org.
25. What
are tendonectomies?
Many consider tendonectomies
to not be any better than declawing. In a tendonectomy, cats keep
their claws but can't retract them. As a result, the cats may end
up catching them on couches, clothes, etc.
With tendonectomies,
one must keep the claws clipped short all the time and the cats
are not able to use their claws in defending themselves.
26. Is
there a veterinarian in the area that does NOT declaw cats?
YES! Please patronize
these places:
Arvada Cat and Bird Hospital
(16255 W. 64th Ave, Ste. #1, Denver, 80007, (303) 202-1121.
Tender Touch Animal hospital
at 4th and Kalamath (Dr. Apryl Steel) 303-733-2728
27. Is
there a disaster response team for animal emergencies in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado State Animal
Response Team's (http://www.ColoradoSART.org)
mission is to "facilitate a prompt, effective response to any
animal emergency
in the State of Colorado; decrease the health and safety threat
to humans and animals; minimize the economic impact of animal emergencies;
and prevent or decrease the spread of disease during animal emergencies."
SART's direct line is (303) 539-7633 and toll-free line is (866)
854-SART (7278).
Kevin M. Dennison, D.V.M.,
is the director. Their address is 789 Sherman Street, Suite 550,
Denver, CO, 80203.
|
