Adopting or Fostering a Pet

DogIf anyone is interested in adopting or fostering a pet please email me at animalcontrol@truro-ma.gov with your name, address and phone number along with what you are interested in adopting or fostering. Even if you can't adopt a pet for an extended period and can only foster, please let me know. Fosters are as much needed as adopters. Thank you.

Spring Clean-ups

Keep all household cleaners and chemicals out of reach of your pets.

Lawn Care: Lawn chemicals can be very toxic if ingested. Try to keep your pet off new fertilized lawns for 24 hours. Always save the original bag for later reference if ingestion occurs. If your pet does ingest these chemicals, contact your veterinarian immediately.

The outdoors is not the only thing pets get a fever for in the spring, springtime is mating season! Make sure your pet is spayed or neutered so that they don’t contribute to the overwhelming pet overpopulation problem we have in this country

The Easter lily, azalea, amaryllis, and other plants are toxic and even potentially lethal to cats. Lily-of-the-valley can also be cardio-toxic to both dogs and cats

Make sure you are giving your pet a monthly flea and tick preventative. It is very important to read product labels carefully on all flea and tick medications as the misuse of such products can lead to acute toxicity in them. It is important never to use a dog product on your cat, or vice versa.

Check with your veterinarian to see what he or she recommends in terms of heartworm prevention. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal.

Dogs can have severe allergic reactions to insect bites. If you notice your dog becoming acutely swollen in the muzzle, or developing hives, it is best to get him/her treated as soon as possible. If left untreated, the inflammatory response can cause severe illness and respiratory distress. Just like us, our pets have allergies too! If you notice obvious signs of allergies like swollen eyes, frequent scratching, fur/skin conditions or sneezing, you may want to take your pet to the vet to explore those allergy symptoms.

Make sure that your dog always wears a collar, current town license and current ID tags that include your phone number. Please keep your canine companions on a leash when enjoying the warm weather.

Keep pets away from mouse, ant, and roach bait or traps.

Springtime means spring showers and sprinklers, which can leave puddles of standing water. Try not to let your dog drink out of puddles, as standing water can be filled with bacteria leading to gastrointestinal upset or ailments.

Pickup Trucks

Dogs love to feel the wind in their faces but uncovered truck beds are a very dangerous place for your pet. Sudden stops or turns can throw your pet from the truck and a major injury could occur from the fall or by being hit by an oncoming car. Additionally, there is a lot of debris and insects moving at high velocities that can cause eye injuries. It is best if your pet is secured inside your truck.

Bite Wounds

Spring and summer are the times when dog parks are full of dogs. Many of these dogs are harmless but when faced with certain conditions a dog can turn suddenly and bite. Make sure your pet’s rabies vaccination is up-to-date in case of such an encounter. Keep a file with your pet’s medical information and keep track of necessary follow-up shots and appointments.

2011 Dog Licenses Reminder

The new 2011 dog licenses are available. Please bring proof of rabies vaccination and spay/neuter certificate if not included on the shot record. All dogs found running at large without a current 2011 license will be boarded at the owner's expense until proper licensing is acquired.

Animal Toxin Reminders

Lorial Russell
Truro Animal Control Officer/Inspector
P.O. Box 2030
Truro, MA 02666
508-246-5225 (Cell)
508-487-8730 (Truro Police Dept.)