Keeping small pets safe

Little bitty dogs and kitties are so cute, and most everybody loves them. The tiny lap dogs are the easiest for rescue groups to find homes for and are usually the ones most in demand. My group, Central Georgia CARES, continually has people who ask us to be on the lookout for little ones like a dachshund mix or a Maltese mix.

Even though everyone is different and has their own preferences, it seems lots of people like small, cuddly dogs they can easily carry with them. I’ve seen little Chihuahuas in ladies’ purses at the store and I’ve seen little shih tzu’s on vacation with their families. I guess the smaller dogs are just a bit more portable than say a great Dane or bull mastiff.

Small pets are great family members because they typically have adorable personalities, they’re loyal, they don’t eat much and they don’t take up much room.

But unlike larger animals, such as golden retrievers, boxers, chows or labs, special care and protection must be given to smaller dogs and cats. They would probably never tell you themselves but they’re not as quiet tough as they want everyone think.

In fact, we’ve had a rash of little dogs and cats missing from several areas. It’s hard to drive down the road without seeing a lost dog or cat flier on the road sign. When you stop to read them closely you’ll see many are small dogs and cats.

They especially need an extra effort to keep them safe when they’re outside. Even if you have them in a fenced yard, little ones are at risk if they’re out there alone.

Of course, if they’re left outside in an invisible fence, they’re still very much at risk. Just a reminder, an invisible fence keeps the dog contained in certain boundaries but it can’t stop another dog from entering your property potentially hurting your dog.

They’re also at the risk of natural predators every time they go outside. In our area, there seems to be an abundance of hawks, owls, and plenty of coyotes. And these are definitely not friends of our small pets outside.

We’ve had pets lost to hawks during the day when parents thought they were safe leaving the tiny pet in a fenced yard. But a fence does not hinder a hawk or owl. They easily swoop down and pick up your fur baby when you’re not watching.

At night the same danger exists if you let your little dog or cat outside even in a fenced yard. Your beloved dog or cat could fall prey to an owl or coyote. The owl could swiftly and quietly grab your baby while the coyote, who has been known to get into a 6 foot fence and take your baby.

To protect your treasured canine or feline family member from wildlife dangers, put them on a traditional leash, not a retractable one, while they’re outside even inside a fenced yard. These predators can take your baby in the blink of an eye so remain very close to them while outside.

Follow this advice and, hopefully, we’ll start to see fewer heartbroken people missing small dogs and cats.

This story was originally published February 22, 2018 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Keeping small pets safe."