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New Plans for New Pets in the New Year!
Jan 10, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Ria Brown, Lee County Animal Services New Plans for New Pets in the New Year! Fort Myers, Florida, 1/10/2006-Between the holidays and the beginning of the New Year, many people add new pets to their families. There is no better time than the present to make sure that new family members have a healthy start in life. Pet vaccinations and preventive care lay the groundwork for a lifetime of healthy living. The most important vaccination needed is for the prevention of rabies. This fatal virus is transmissible between all warm-blooded mammals including humans. Dogs, cats, and ferrets are required by Florida State law to be vaccinated against rabies between three to four months of age. All first-time rabies vaccinations are good for one year. Subsequent vaccinations may be valid for one or three years according to Florida Law depending on the type of vaccine administered on both the initial and booster vaccination. Failure to vaccinate dogs, cats, and ferrets also carries a stiff civil penalty of up to $500 per violation. Lee County Animal Services estimates that only half of the estimate 126,000 dogs and one-fifth of the estimated 294,000 cats in Lee County are vaccinated for rabies. The agency will continue its initiative to reduce the number of unvaccinated pets in 2006. County officials urge pet owners to begin the year by having new pets vaccinated and by ensuring that all pets they own are on a current vaccination schedule. While not all diseases are transmissible to humans, many are still potentially fatal to pets. Establishing a vaccination program for your pet with the assistance of your veterinarian is essential. Vaccination programs should begin when pets are young and highly susceptible to contagious diseases, and then continue throughout their life. Common diseases to vaccinate dogs against are distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis. Diseases for which cats need immunity are panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, and calicivirus. These viruses and bacterial infections affect the organs and upper respiratory tracts of cats and dogs. Based on the pet's individual needs, other vaccinations may be recommended by a veterinarian. Ensuring that one's pets are free from parasites is also important to their health. Fleas and ticks, which are quite common in the Florida climate, can spread serious disease. Left untreated many of these diseases can be fatal. Additionally, heartworm prevention is a must in Florida. This disease, spread by mosquitoes, is fatal if left untreated. However, prevention is the best and most effective way to fight heartworm disease and far less expensive than treating the disease once it has been contracted. Lee County Animal Services provides animal control services throughout Lee County and operates an animal shelter to house stray and abandoned domestic animals. It also administers low-cost spay/neuter programs, educational initiatives, and rabies and bite case control programs. The shelter is located off Six Mile Cypress Parkway next to the Lee County Sheriff's Dept. For information regarding vaccinations or legal requirements call 432-2083 or visit Lee County Animal Services' online at www.LeeLostPets.com. Photos of lost of pets and pets available for adoption also may be viewed online.
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