Have you seen the Elk City Police log? If you have you know we have a big problem with stray pets in Elk City. This Wednesday at 2:00PM a proposal will be on the City Council agenda to reinstate pet licensing. Your support is needed. Would you please consider joining us at City Hall for the animal’s sake? Did you know that 1 out of every 3 pets will get lost at some point during their lifetime? And without proper identification, 90% of lost pets never return home. While we all like to believe this will never happen to us (“My pets would never leave the property!” “Our backyard is completely fenced in, how would Max get out?”), the unfortunate truth is that many beloved pets do wander off and natural disasters can occur without warning. Proper pet identification drastically increases the chance that you will be reunited with your pet should he or she ever become lost. Many pets are killed in pounds just because an owner could not be found or to make spaces for the next lost pet coming into the pound. Pet licensing will increase the return to owner rate. The less time a lost pet is at the shelter the less it will cost our city to care for it. Natural disasters can occur without warning, pet licensing is one step in preparing. The fee you pay for your pet license and license renewal keeps your citys animal shelter, Animal Care and Control, going. It is one source of revenue for ACC, so it can continue to provide its unique services to all the citizens, from finding new homes for unclaimed or surrendered pets to keeping neighborhoods safe from aggressive dogs, from caring for animals whose owners have died to teaching good pet care to school kids. Also hopefully some much needed improvements to our shelter. Licensing, lets people know that your animal companion has received required vaccinations that protect your pet from rabies and in return protects our community. National Animal Care & Control Association recommendation below: This was taken from nacanet.org/?page=NACA_Guidelines Animal Identification – Cat Licenses Guideline Statement State and/or local statutes should require that all cats to be licensed, and require licenses to be worn at all times. NACA rejects the argument that cats are wildlife, and adopts the policy described for dogs. Basis for Guideline Cats pose similar problems in todays society to that of dogs. Public health concerns include the threat of rabies or other diseases from cat inflicted bites or scratches. Damage to property and overpopulation results in the degradation of a community’s appearance and sanitation. NACA cites the pet food industry as one example of Americans societys classification of cats as domestic animals. Cats share peoples lives, homes, and hearts as proven companion animals. Cat ownership, then, should require responsibility for their welfare and owner responsibility to the general public. Cat licensing also extends to owners the benefits or legal ownership, a valuable means of identification, and services that cats might not otherwise be afforded if considered wildlife. Guideline Recommendation Licensing laws should be fully enforceable by animal care and control personnel and police officers, and should prescribe progressive penalties for repeat violations. Licenses considered as permits may be revoked for specific violations. NACA recommends that licensing programs be designed to provide a fast, efficient means of identifying cats and their owners. Licensing records can be easily maintained via a central, local registry. Annual registration may help keep licensing records current and accurate, as circumstances frequently change in the lives of people and their pets. At the minimum, NACA recommends that licenses include complete owner contact information, and a complete description of the licensed cat. It is also helpful to include whether the cat has been spayed/neutered. Licensing should be required as a condition for owning, harboring, or keeping a cat. The aforementioned Guideline has been affirmed as duly adopted by the NACA Board of Directors on September 03, 2014. George W. Harding, IV MBA CAWA Executive Director National Animal Care & Control Association P: 913.768.1319 F: 913.768.1378 101 N. Church Street, Olathe, KS, 66061 nacanet.org P. 9 Animal Identification – Dog Licenses Guideline Statement State and or local statutes should require all dogs to be licensed, and require licenses to be worn at all times. Licenses should be considered as permits which shall mandate specified responsibility and privileges of ownership. Licenses should be issued only upon proof of necessary immunizations. Basis for Guideline Licenses provide for the proper identification of dogs and their owners. It has been proven that licensing programs, adequately enforced, greatly reduce the numbers of surplus animals impounded unnecessarily, and encourage owner responsibility. Licenses provide owners with proof of legal ownership. Licensing fees can provide a necessary revenue base for animal control services. Fines for licensing violations also help offset the tax burden to the general public for such services. Guideline Recommendation Licensing laws should be fully enforceable by animal care and control personnel and police officers, and should prescribe progressive penalties for repeat violations. Licenses considered as permits may be revoked for specific violations. NACA recommends that licensing programs be designed to provide a fast, efficient means of identifying dogs and their owners. Licensing records can be easily maintained via a central, local registry. Annual registration may help keep licensing records current and accurate, as circumstances frequently change in the lives of people and their pets. At the minimum, NACA recommends that licenses include complete owner contact information, and a complete description of the licensed dog. It is also helpful to include whether the dog has been spayed/neutered. Licensing should be required as a condition for owning, harboring, or keeping a dog. The aforementioned Guideline has been affirmed as duly adopted by the NACA Board of Directors on September 03, 2014. George W. Harding, IV MBA CAWA Executive Director National Animal Care & Control Association Vicky Adams
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 02:27:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015