The Family Safety Day open house at the county animal shelter featured safety-related activities and kids reading to some of its residents.
The Burlington County Animal Shelter held a special open house on Oct. 11 to showcase adoptable dogs and cats and offer a forum for local first responders to share pet safety information.
“Burlington County prioritizes the safety of not just our residents, but also their pets,” said Commissioner Tyler Burrell, liaison to the animal shelter.
October marks National Animal Safety and Protection Month. To protect your pet year-round, 24/7 PetVets (formerly Veterinary Emergency Service) recommends the following: pet proof your home; secure toxic substances; ensure that your pet has a safe space; stay up to date on check-ups and vaccinations; prepare for emergencies; and utilize identification and microchipping.
Individuals can also support the shelter by fostering and/or adopting an animal, spreading awareness through social media, donating or volunteering.
The shelter’s open house was of great importance because the facility is seeing an uptake in so many families surrendering animals due to dog bites, according to director Ericka Haines.
“We are trying to educate communities and families to really find out what animals fit their lifestyle,” she explained. “We do feel that there are a lot of animals that are here because of false pretenses. They are kind of set up for failure because the families wanted this dog that looks so pretty, but didn’t realize what went into it.”
Whether talking to a local veterinarian, public safety teams in the county, local teachers or even the shelter itself, there are always great resources available regarding pet safety, Haines added.
“We are always willing to come out and speak to classrooms, residents, and even give people resources that they can look at on their own,” she noted. And if you want to adopt from the shelter, she advised doing one thing first.
“Before you even look at pictures of what a dog looks like, think about your daily life,” Haines advised. “Monitor your schedule for a week and really see what time you have for an animal, because that’s going to give us the best idea of what’s going to fit and work for you.
“It all depends on how your lifestyle works,” she added. “Think about what your daily life is going to entail.”
The open house – organized by shelter in partnership with Friends of the Burlington County Animal Shelter – also featured safety-related activities and opportunities for children to read to some of the shelter dogs and cats.
Learn more about available pets and complete an adoption application in advance by visiting the shelter website at co.burlington.nj.us/168/Animal-Shelter.
“Whether you’re fostering an animal at home, volunteering your time, donating needed supplies or sharing social media posts about the adoptable pets, it all helps and can make a tremendous difference for the animals at the shelter,” said Commissioner Randy Brollo.
