Keep pets safe during Dog Days of Summer
Published 12:04 am Wednesday, August 12, 2015
- Humane Society officials said pets staked out in the backyard become forgotten backyard dogs.
LAPLACE — The Humane Society of Louisiana is urging pet owners locally and around the state to pamper their pets as the long “Dog Days of Summer” continue.
The group has recently received an increase in the number of complaints regarding dogs staked out in the backyard on short chains.
With temperatures often exceeding 90 degrees this month and next, the Humane Society would like pet owners to provide extra care for their dogs and other outdoor pets.
officials said backyard dogs are sometimes starving physically for lack of adequate food and emotionally from lack of social stimuli.
“Often these dogs (staked out in the backyard) become what we call ‘forgotten backyard dogs,’” Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson said. “Family members tend to stop socializing with them, walking them or bringing them inside, so they are relegated to a life lived on a short chain, often in the very back part of the property.
“Apart from the physical deprivations they often face of not getting enough food, water or space to run around, these backyard dogs also suffer mentally and emotionally, since they rarely get the socialization they crave from their owners.
“Often, these backyard dogs are starving physically for lack of adequate food and emotionally from lack of social stimuli.”
Terrebone, Jefferson and Orleans parishes have ordinances that prohibit the tethering of a dog as the primary means of confinement, but the law is too often ignored by many pet owners.
The group has volunteers around the state who regularly respond to complaints, and many volunteers spend time educating pet owners on the basic tenants of pet care.
The group also hosts cruelty investigation workshops around the state with other agencies, to train other humane societies, concerned citizens and law enforcement officials what constitutes cruelty, how to build a criminal case for prosecution and ways one can intervene to improve the living conditions of animals.
Established in 1988, the Humane Society of Louisiana is one of the state’s largest animal advocacy organizations and operates the 47-acre no-kill sanctuary in Mt. Hermon.
For more information, visit humanela.org or call 1-888-6-humane.
