Educational Information

Mesa County Animal Services is aware that being a responsible pet owner can be a challenge. Pets have their own unique personalities and both new and experienced pet owners can benefit from educational information on how to safely manage their pet. Providing helpful hints on options to confine, transport, care for and train an animal might mean that the pet stays in a loving home instead of ending up at a local shelter.

Mesa County Animal Services has a variety of educational material available for you. Another resource for educational material is the Dumb Friends League. Please visit their website for more information on how to address animal behavior.

Please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your unique situation.

• Vaccinate your dog and get a license. If you have a dog, cat or ferret, they must have a current rabies vaccination. In addition, there are several additional pet vaccinations that are recommended to keep the pets in our community healthy.
• Provide a securely fenced yard along with adequate shelter from the elements, food and water.
• Bring your dog indoors if you are not home to supervise it.
• Take your dog for regular walks to provide exercise.

Try to create a safe place for your dog to go to when it hears loud noises that may frighten it, whether you are there or not. Remember, this must be a safe location from your dog’s perspective, not necessarily yours. If the fearful behavior continues, consult your veterinarian for assistance.

Fearful responses to loud noises such as thunderstorms and fireworks often involve escape attempts which result in destructive behavior. Doors, door frames, windows, screens and walls are often damaged. These problems can be especially dangerous, because excessively fearful dogs may injure themselves attempting to break through windows or doors to escape a feared situation.

There is no law against transporting your dog in the bed of a pick-up truck, the safety of the dog should be the primary consideration. For your dog's safety, don't let it ride in the back of an open pick-up truck unless safely confined or tethered.

There are several ways to make a pick-up bed safe for your canine friend:

• Buy a topper for the truck bed, your dog can ride in an enclosed truck bed and be protected from road and wind hazards.
• Install an easy to build cross-tethering system. Fastening a rope on each side of the truck with a short leash attached in the middle for the dog. Make sure the leash is short enough to keep the dog from reaching the sides or rear of the truck bed. If the leash is too long the dog could fall from the truck bed and be choked or dragged.