Tips from ACO

Love Them? Then Vaccinate Them, Leash Them & License Them!

The Reason

Most victims of animal bites (mainly by dogs) are children. Bites should be considered serious and seeking medical treatment is always recommended due to infection and possible rabies transmission. Rabies is a viral disease that can affect any mammal, including humans. Skunks, raccoons, foxes and bats commonly carry rabies. When the disease builds up in the wild animal population, domestic animals, such as dogs, cats, ferrets, cows, and horses become at risk of contacting it. When humans are exposed to rabies, either from a bite of a wild animal or from an infected domestic animal, the disease is fatal if prompt action isn’t taken.

The responsibility for vaccination, licensing, proper restraint and animal birth control belongs to the individual pet owner. When control of animals becomes a problem it is the responsibility of our town government to protect the public health through an effective animal control program.

Animal Waste

Feces and urine deposited by dogs and cats are clearly a problem, particularly in areas of concentrated populations. Pet owners are responsible for cleaning up this waste to control an annoying and potentially dangerous form of pollution.

Diseases can be transmitted to humans through dog and cat waste, including toxoplasmosis, visceral larvae migrans, and leptospirosis. Children are more likely to contract these diseases because they play in areas where this waste has been left and then put their fingers in their mouths.