I've received a lot of messages lately about lost and stolen pets, both companion animals and horses. Taking some simple, inexpensive precautions can prevent a tragedy. Consider such things as microchipping, tattooing all animals. Every gate should have a lock. Even the readily available fake security cameras may deter a thief. Sometimes signs (you can make them inexpensively with your computer printer and have them laminated) placed in visible locations such as "All animals on this property are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and this property is under constant video surveillance," may deter a thief, especially one trying to acquire purebred animals for breeding. (Of course companion animals are stolen for other reasons such as laboratory use and training bait for fighting dogs.) When walking dogs on lead off your property it is always a good idea that the dog wear one collar with identification, and another collar attached to a lead - many a dog has slipped a collar or the collar/plastic latch broke, and the owner is left holding the lead and a broken collar bearing the identification.
On a rural property, something as simple as a locked chain across the driveway can prevent easy access to your property. If you need to lock barn/stall doors, you also need an emergency plan whereby neighbors, family members, boarders, the local fire dept. are informed about emergency contact phone numbers and where to find keys in the event of a fire or other disaster. Even if you only keep companion animals, it is a good idea to provide neighbors with numbers/descriptions, and how to contact you in an emergency.
And it is a good idea for everyone to compile all the necessary phone numbers and have them readily available in case of an emergency - your local animal shelters, animal control service, emergency vetcare services, e-mail address of local rescuers and rescue lists, fire/police depts., and a good photo of each of your animals with a record of all their identifying info/markings so that you can immediately create flyers and a webpage if that is ever necessary.
For good info on lost/stolen companion animals and horses, please see links in the upper right portion of this article.
Jim
[Cross-posting appreciated]
