Experts say it's a good idea to check the batteries in your smoke detector twice a year, when setting the clock forward or back. For the last few years, I've tried to encourage another safety check: the New Year's pet neck-check.
It'll just take a minute, and you could be saving your pet's life.
First, check the collar. Is your dog wearing a "choke" collar? If so, take it off right now and give thanks that your pup is still alive.
No dog should ever wear such a collar except under direct supervision. Every year hundreds of dogs are killed struggling to free themselves from a caught choke collar. Their natural instinct to pull away only makes matters worse, as the collar pulls tighter and tighter the more the animal struggles. There have even been cases of dogs killed when their choke collars caught in the teeth of other dogs in play.
For everyday wear, a buckled collar is the only way to go. (Somebody tell Bill Clinton, quickly: You don't need a choke collar on a puppy, and the one on that dog's too large anyway!)
Even if you have a safe collar on your pet, give it a good look. Is it frayed or worn out? A well-worn collar could give way when you least expect it, letting your pet escape into a dangerous or even deadly situation. If it looks weak or worn, replace it right away.
Make sure the collar fits properly. Check by seeing how many fingers you can slip between your pet's neck and collar. Two is about right, although one will do for toy dogs, and three may be needed for large ones.
Now about those tags. Implanted microchips are wonderful (both my dogs are chipped), but they won't ever replace tags. Make sure your pet has both a valid license and an ID tag with your phone number on it. The tag with your phone number is very important, since few animal-control agencies are equipped to locate pet-owner phone numbers 24 hours a day.
Look at the ID tag. How accurate is the information? Did you move or change your phone number in the last few months? It's easy to forget that any such change needs to be noted on your pet's ID tag.
I've had people argue that theirs is a "backyard dog" or a "house cat," not likely to escape and therefore not in need of either a tag or a license. To my mind, an ID tag -- at $3 to $5 -- is the best way to protect your pet from a blown-down fence or a door left ajar.
And as far as a license goes, that "unnecessary expense" is the difference between your pet being put down or sold as a stray or being held extra days as an "owned" animal. That extra time may mean the difference between getting your pet back and never seeing him again.
Many people don't like to collar their cats, fearing that their pet will get hung up when jumping. Shelter workers counter that they put to sleep thousands of unclaimed cats -- many of whom are clearly someone's pet -- but they've never seen a cat skeleton hanging by a collar in a tree.
Chip 'em, collar 'em and tag 'em all. It's one of the best New Year's resolutions you can make where your pets are concerned.
Pets on the Web: In choosing a Labrador retriever, President Clinton is in good company: The Lab is the No. 1 dog in America, according to the American Kennel Club. The best online resource for anyone interested in Labradors is the Labrador Retriever Home Page (http://www.k9web.com/breeds/l/labrador), a collection of links to everything you could possibly want to know about this versatile breed, including important information on health problems.
Another good resource is the home page of Labrador Retriever Rescue Inc. (http://www.lrr.org), a nonprofit organization in the Washington, D.C., area that takes in unwanted Labs and finds them new homes. While the group doesn't work with dogs outside its area, the Web page has a lot to offer on why you should consider a "recycled" Lab.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
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