For Immediate Release March 9, 2015 Contact: Leslie Piotrowski (847) 377-8055 Carolyn Waller (847) 377-8099
The
Animal Care and Control program of the Lake County Health Department/Community
Health Center is offering a new service for people who have lost or found pets.
It has activated a Lost and Found Pet Service web page at: http://health.lakecountyil.gov/Population/Pages/Lost-and-Found-Pet-Service.aspx.
“Every
year more than 1,000 dogs and cats get lost in Lake County,” said Robin Van
Sickle, Animal Care and Control’s Program Coordinator. “Our staff works hard to
reunite lost pets with their owners. This webpage is an easy way for residents
to provide photos of lost animals as well as photos of animals that residents
have found and want to return.”
Here
are some tips to prevent pets from being lost:
1.
Whenever outside the home, keep ID
tags on your pet along with a properly fitted collar or harness – personal ID
tag, rabies/license tag, and microchip tag. If your pet gets lost, you want the
person who finds your pet to be able to easily contact or find you.
2.
Make sure your pet is microchipped
and the chip is registered to you. A microchip is a tiny chip implanted between
your pet’s shoulder blades; it can be scanned and used to identify your pet.
Don’t forget to update your contact information with the microchip registry if
you move or change your phone number. If you adopted your pet from an animal
shelter, he/she may be already microchipped. Check your adoption records or ask
your veterinarian to scan your pet for a microchip. Microchips can be implanted by your
veterinarian or by Lake County Animal Care and Control.
3.
When walking your dog, use a sturdy,
traditional leash. Slip the loop of the leash over your right thumb and close
your fingers tightly around the loop. Use left hand to hold the leash further
down. If your dog tries to bolt, you have both hands on the leash.
4.
When children are walking the dog,
they should not only be old enough to understand the safety precautions, but
also physically strong enough to handle the dog if he/she attempts to bolt.
5.
If you let your dog out into a
fenced yard, check the fence on a routine basis to make sure it is secure. Wind
and accumulated snow can damage your fence.
Residents
who have lost or found pets, should send a digital photo, pet description, and indicate
whether the animal is lost or found, to: cjohnson5@lakecountyil.gov. Please also include the town or area where the
pet was lost or found. None of the animals displayed on the webpage are housed
at Animal Care and Control and no personal information will be posted on-line. For more information on this service or to
inquire about having your pet microchipped by Animal Care and Control staff,
please call: (847) 377-4700.
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