PetWatch in Progress September 2007
Petwatch In Progress:
As you’ve probably heard, Karen Briggs, our Petwatch founder, is taking a family leave. We’re still getting up to speed with Petwatch, so we appreciate your patience as we complete the transition – we have some very big shoes to fill!
We plan to send out email updates about every two weeks (or as needed, depending on the situation). Please remember to check our Petwatch blog for the most up-to-the minute news on lost and found animals, wildlife sightings, etc. http://hmnapetwatch.blogspot.com/
Coyote and other wild animal reports:
Ray Ann spotted a coyote on the greenbelt at the corner of Bryson and Walnut Hill around 8:30 in the evening on Monday, September 3rd.
Petwatch Summit:
We attended the first Petwatch Summit last month, which was a meeting of the local Petwatch and Animal Alert groups. There were a total of six different groups (including HMNA) from nearby areas in attendance:
Forest Hills
Little Forest Hills
L Streets
Old Lake Highlands
Dixon Branch
We’re very fortunate that our Petwatch program has been up and running since 1999 – most of these groups are just getting started. It was a pleasure to meet all of the devoted and enthusiastic animal lovers from surrounding neighborhoods. We exchanged information and shared ideas. By combining our resources, this unified group can make our Petwatch stronger than ever. Simply sharing emails is a big plus – we know from past experience that lost pets can easily stray from our area. It’s good to know we have an expanded group to keep an eye out for our furry friends!
Microchipping:
Microchipping is one of the easiest ways to return a lost pet home. If your pets aren’t already chipped, Operation Kindness offers a microchipping clinic the last Sunday of each month from noon to 4 p.m. The cost is just $15 per pet for the microchip and lifetime registration.
Location: Operation Kindness Shelter3201 Earhart Drive, Carrollton 75006
State Senator John Carona’s “Lillian’s Law”:
HB 1355, a bill known as "Lillian’s Law," requires all dog owners to properly secure their dogs on their property. This bill provides that a dog owner can be held criminally responsible if the dog causes serious bodily injury or death at a location other than the owner’s property in an unprovoked attack during which the owner negligently failed to secure the dog. Exempted from the bill are many dog professionals, including peace officers, who work with dogs on a regular basis. Please pass information about this change in the law on to your neighbors as it may impact their activities with pets.
We need your input and support:
Petwatch is one of the greatest things about our neighborhood. We want to continue to meet the needs of our pets and pet owners, and keep the program as vital as Karen always has. Please let us know if you have any ideas to help improve Petwatch. Also, if you have a few hours to spare time a month to assist with the Hotline, or with emails, we’d love to have more volunteers. Petwatch is a great way to get to know the wonderful people in our neighborhood and there’s no better feeling than reuniting a lost pet and its owner. We are also looking for more foster homes. Foster families are not required to take in any animal they do not want. Volunteers are never asked to take in sick or dangerous animals and only have to care for the pet as long as they want to. So if you have a big heart and are willing to volunteer your time and home for short periods to help keep these animals safe while the owners/adoptees can be located, please go online and submit the online foster family volunteer form (http://hmnapetwatch.topcities.com/Foster.html). You can also simply email us at petwatch@highlandmeadowsna.org or call the hotline 214-967-5210.
