New Years Resolutions for Your Pet.
Pay attention to how much food you are giving your pet. Many owners “eyeball” their pet’s daily intake and pour that into a bowl, usually resulting in overfeeding and weight gain. It’s important to use an 8-ounce measuring cup to ensure your pet isn’t taking in more calories than they need. The recommended feeding guidelines on the bag are good place to start to figure out how much food your pet really needs. Check with your vet if you have any concerns.
No pet owner ever wants to be in a situation where their pet has wandered away.
One way to avoid this is by keeping an ID tag on your pet and be sure your pet ID up to date. Over the course of a year, a lot can change — people move, get new phone numbers, and forget to update their pet’s tags. Often they only remember once the pet is lost. If any of your contact information has changed, don’t wait — update their tags and microchip information today! It’s the best way to ensure a lost pet makes their way safely home.
Just as people get bored, our pets can get bored with the same old routine day in and day out. Teaching your pet new tricks and practicing those they already know are a great way to keep your pets mind active. Carve out certain hours of your week that can be devoted entirely to playing with your pet. It will give them some much-needed exercise, and will provide you both with some crucial one-on-one time
One easy way is by setting up pet play dates. Call up a friend with a similarly size pet and get together at a nearby park. Interaction with other animals is great for your pet’s mental health, and can help vastly improve their social skills. It’s a great way to bond, it’ll get you both out of the house, and both owner and pet will reap the rewards of a healthy physical activity.
Cats love the thrill of chasing a laser toy; just don’t tell them it’s exercise! Experiment to see what really gets your cat going — in addition to lasers, catnip toys, crinkly balls, and climbable cat trees are perennial feline favorites. Even a cardboard box can become a cat cave that satisfies a cat’s desire for a hiding place.
Resolve to brush your pet daily in the New Year. It’s great for their health, and it gives you both a chance to connect physically. Brushing your pet serves many purposes. It removes excess fur from the coat, reducing the amount you find on your clothes and furniture. It helps distribute oils from the skin to the fur, keeping the coat shiny and healthy.
Daily tooth brushing is the best way to keep tartar and plaque at bay — just be sure to use a toothpaste meant for dogs and cats. Water additives, dental diets, and treats designed to reduce tartar can also be a helpful tool in keeping teeth clean.
Perhaps the most important resolution for any pet owner to make is vowing to take your pet to the veterinarian at least once a year. Yearly examinations by the veterinarian are a key component of good preventive care. Many medical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, or obesity are common in aging pets and much easier to manage when detected in the early stages of the disease process. Veterinary visits are also the perfect time to ask for advice, update your pet’s food, or get an expert opinion on any behavioral issues that may be affecting your bonding with your pet.
We all love our pets, so why not commit to making them an even bigger priority in the New Year? These pet-positive resolutions are so easy to make, and our animals will love us even more for them!
Featured Dog- Tovi
He is a sweet friendly little dog who loves being with people and having a warm safe place to live. He does well on a leash and loves to play with toys or just be cuddled. He needs to learn house training and will need a home where he will be able to go outside easily for his training.
Cubby He is a sweet, quiet guy that does well with adults but not children. He will need a home with no children. He loves to play fetch, knows sit, does well on a leash, and is house-trained. He is about 5 1/2 years old.
Peanut- Senior border collie/beagle blend. He will do best in a quiet home. Loves going for walks. He is a volunteer favorite. You need to meet him one on one to appreciate this dog.
Fera- Her owner could not keep her do to a move. Fera is a happy 5 year old. She likes being with people and would prefer to be the only dog in the home. She does well on a leash and loves playing with toys.
Koda- Extra large boy. Is on diet and exercise program. Has lost over 20 pounds since coming to shelter. Loves being with people., going for long walks and playing with toys.
Featured cat- Natalie
What a sweet lady. She is a very compact little cat. She has a outgoing purrsonality and loves everyone, she likes being held and will come when called even though she doesn’t know her new name yet. She has some Siamese breed in her family history and beautiful blue eyes.
Other available cats-
Lover is a senior cat looking for quiet home where he can have a soft place to rest and lots of pets. Would do better as a single cat. Beautiful seal point Siamese.
The City of Mesquite Animal Shelter located at 795 Hardy Way is open for adoptions from 8:00 am until 4 pm Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), Saturday 11am-1pm , Sunday 1pm -3pm. Please call – Animal Control may be reached by phone or voicemail at 702-346-5268
All animals will be spayed or neutered prior to leaving shelter and receive 1 year rabies vaccination and city license. Ages are approximate.
The animals submitted to the media may have changed so please visit our Petfinder website for a current listing and more detailed information on the animals. www.mesquiteanimalshelter.petfinder.com
Please also check our Facebook pages for lost and found animals along with pet information. https://www.facebook.com/MesquiteNVAnimalControl and https://www.facebook.com/FRIENDSOFMESQUITENVANIMALSHELTER
