Over the years that I’ve owned and taken of care of other people’s pets I’ve learned a lot of things about safety measures we can take to keep them safe. Some things are quite obvious but to a first time pet owner removing your dog’s collar when in a crate may not seem so obvious, for example.
Pet stores offer a wide variety of products that serve many purposes safety-wise such as reflective leashes and collars, warm coats and boots to keep them safe from the weather and elements including road salt, light up collars and collar tags, muzzles – yes these can be used for their safety and ours, and so on.
Unfortunately I know of someone who was struck by a vehicle while walking on a rural road on a dark night. While I do most of my dog-walking during the daytime hours I found the need to make myself feel safer and more visible while walking some dogs on a rural road. On a foggy day or other weather that has poor visibility I noticed cars passing by didn’t seem to see me as well until the last minute. The dogs have bright-coloured harnesses and leashes so I invested in a reflective and light-up vest that I can wear over any coat or other outerwear. I walk against the traffic so I can make eye contact with the drivers and am able to see if they are paying attention and notice me. If I think a driver has not seen me I can move the dogs and myself further away from the road, which unfortunately means into the ditch, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I will always smile or wave thanks to any car that notices and gives me a bit of a berth if they can. It is just common courtesy I think but am surprised how many cars do not move over even an inch. The same courtesy should be given to anyone walking/running/pulled over or even putting out their garbage!!
Putting a collar and identification tag on your pet can help them safely find their way home if ever lost. Microchipping is also a good option, however, if your pet is found wandering the chances of a person having a microchip scanner in their back pocket are pretty slim so I.D. tags work instantly if you have the correct & updated contact information on them. There are also GPS tracking collar tags available now. I don’t know much about these so you should do your research, however, it is a great use of modern technology that can help keep your pets safe!
Our pets are our family so we want to keep them safe and away from any harm. Consider which concerns are most likely to affect your pets’ safety and invest in the tools to keep them safe. For example if you have a dog who tends to run off and wander spending some money on a GPS collar tag might be a great idea to help get them back. If you walk your dog at night any light up or reflective items will make you both more visible. I hate to hear stories of accidents or tragedies concerning pets especially when it could have been preventable. Let’s keep ourselves and our pets safe!
