Westlake Forest February 2018

PET INFORMATION
ATTENTION! PET POOPS / YOU SCOOP
Please be respectful of community grounds and neighbors’ yards. If
your pet poops during your walk, be prepared to scoop and trash.
Come with a scooper and a recycled grocery bag or anything else. It
may not be the most fabulous way to walk your pet, but it does show
your respect for every homeowner and our beautiful community.
HARRIS COUNTY LEASH LAW
Animals that are not properly restrained pose a threat to all our residents.
While you may know your pet is friendly, an animal running
at someone who is walking by is very scary for that person. Many
children are afraid of animals and become frightened, which could
result in the child getting hurt trying to avoid the animal.
Harris County Animal Control advises, “All dogs and cats must be
kept under restraint while in the unincorporated areas of Harris
County, Texas. The custodian of a dog or cat is not authorized to
have, harbor or keep any unlicensed dog or cat nor to allow any dog
or cat to become a stray.”
Restraint is defined as “the control of a dog or cat under the following
circumstances:
1. When it is controlled by a line or leash not more than six (6) feet in
length, if the line or leash is held by a human being, who is capable
of controlling or governing the dog or cat in question
2. When it is within a fully enclosed vehicle
3. When it is on the premise of the custodian and the animal does
not have access to sidewalk or street.”
While it may be nice to have your animal out in the yard while you
work or play, it is against the law, unless the animal is properly
restrained.
Let’s all help keep our community a safe and comfortable place for all
our residents by being responsible pet owners. This will not only protect
anyone who may be walking or bicycling in the area, but also the pet
owner who could be held legally responsible or possibly sued for failing
to properly restrain their pet.
Please remember that cats fall under the same laws as dogs and must
be licensed and kept restrained when not on the premises of the owner.
We’ve been told that spreading moth balls in flower beds might keep
cats away.
To make a complaint or report an animal that is not properly
restrained please contact:
Harris County Precinct #5, Contract #87:
281-463-6666
Harris County Animal Control: 281-999-3191
Harris County Health Department,
Rabies/Animal Control Section
2223 West Loop South, Houston,
Texas 77027-3588
www.countypets.com
VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION
(Formerly called Harris County Animal Control)
The Veterinary Public Health Division posts photos of all animals
found on their website and updates it twice daily. If you have lost
your pet, please check this website, www.hcphes.org/vph.
Have you lost a pet?
Start your search immediately,
don’t wait to make flyers.
Contact all possible animal control or animal welfare agencies in
the area. Visit each location at least every other day.
Call your pet’s veterinarian and the microchip company to make
sure they have current contact information for you. A citizen may try
to call the veterinarian’s office or microchip company themselves
from your pet’s tags.
Call all the veterinarians in your area to alert them to the description
of your lost pet in case someone brings it to their clinic.
Check with your neighbors, especially families with children and
ask if they’ve seen a pet that looks like yours.
Search your neighborhood on foot, your pet maybe be nearby but
is injured and unable to get back home.
Leave a towel or article of clothing with your scent on it outside of
your home. Your pet may be disorientated and will be attracted
by your scent.
Have you found a pet?
First, think of the animal as lost and not abandoned
and make every effort to reunite the animal to an owner.
Contact the HCPH VPH office by telephone and report
the animal as found.
Bring the animal to the HCPH VPH facility or check
with a local veterinarian to scan the animal for a microchip.
Return to the place where you found the animal and put up
a found pet poster near that location.
If you find the owner, especially off a newspaper or website posting,
ask them to provide a picture of the animal and meet in a public
place like a police station.
More information about Microchips
& Microchip companies
A microchip is a small device (size of a grain of rice) that is
permanent and implanted with a needle under the skin of pets.
Pets do not have to be given any pain medication or anesthesia
to implant a microchip.
Microchips are not likely to move or need repair
if implanted correctly.
Microchips, when scanned, show a unique code. The microchip
must be registered with the corresponding microchip manufacture
to record any owner and animal data.
Microchips do not work like GPS locators or LoJack
and cannot give a signal to find the location of your lost pet.
SOURCE
Harris county Public Health Department, Veterinary Public Health
(formerly called Harris County Animal Control), 612 Canino Road,
Houston, Texas 77076, 281-999-3191, www.hcphes.org/vph.
SPECIAL PET SHELTERS
DREAM Dachshund Rescue is a local, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization
committed to rescuing abandoned, stray and owner-surrendered
Dachshunds. We are an all-volunteer rescue and we’re looking for qualified
foster homes to provide food, water, shelter and love to rescued
Dachshunds while they wait for a loving forever family to fall in love and
adopt them. All DREAM Dachshunds are spayed and neutered, current
on all vaccines, receive dental care if needed and are fully examined
and treated - if necessary, by our certified veterinarians. DREAM covers
30 February 2018 | Community Newsletter