Humane Society of North Iowa

1 day ago

4TH OF JULY SAFETY FOR OUR FURRY FRIENDS

As North Iowans prepare to celebrate our nation’s independence with colorful fireworks displays, the Humane Society of North Iowa reminds you to take a moment to consider the well being and welfare of the canine member of the family.

While humans tend to “ooh” and “aah” at the bright, colorful and loud explosions, it is a different story for man’s best friend. A dog’s hearing is 10 times more sensitive than a human’s; loud fireworks may cause fear, stress and anxiety in your canine pet.

Below are several tips to keep your pets safe:

The best advice to any dog owner considering taking their dog to a fireworks display is this: DON'T! The noise and flashing lights are just too stressful on a dog and he may try to flee or even become aggressive out of fear. The best bet is to leave your dog at home where they will be comfortable and safe.

If the fireworks display can be seen or heard near your home, you should consider these tips to safeguard your dog during the display:

· If your dog is outside, bring him indoors during the fireworks display. A dog may try to dig their way over or under a fence to try to escape a fearful situation.

· If your dog is used to being crated, you should crate your dog during the fireworks display to ensure their safety even if they’re in the house. There have been cases where an animal has broken through glass windows to escape out of fear.

· Bright flashing fireworks can scare your dog; close drapes and blinds to block out flashing lights.

· Turn on the TV or play soft music to try to drown out the noise of fireworks.

Cats are can also be affected by the sites and sounds of fireworks in a negative way and the same precautions should be taken for their safety as well.

If your dog runs away or goes missing in Mason City, chances are likely that he will be picked up by Animal Control and will be brought out to the Mason City Stray Animal Shelter (co-located with and managed by the Humane Society of North Iowa). All stray dogs found in Mason City are brought to the shelter, as well as dogs found as stray in Cerro Gordo County.

If your dog is picked up, you will need to present proof of ownership and a current rabies vaccination in order to reclaim your dog. It will aide in the process if your dog wears an ID and rabies tag already. The Mason City Stray Animal Shelter is located at 2750 South Birch Drive. Stray animal reclaims may be done through appointment during the hours of Tuesday- Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday.

For more information, please contact the Mason City Stray Animal Shelter at: 641-423-3617. The Humane Society of North Iowa and Mason City Stray Animal Shelter will be closed for appointments on Saturday, July 4th.

Though the sale of fireworks has been legalized in the state of Iowa, many communities have passed ordinance pertaining to their use by individuals. So that pet owners may keep their pets safe during known fireworks usage, the Humane Society of North Iowa encourages citizens to adhere to and respect the ordinances in your community.

Have a SAFE and Happy 4th of July!! ...

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Humane Society of North Iowa

3 days ago

A HUGE step in the right direction to better protect domestic animals was made in Iowa today!! We are happy to share that HF 737 was signed into law today! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Here's an announcement from our friends at Bailing Out Benji.....

Governor Kim Reynolds just signed HF 737, the bill that will increase penalties for animal abusers in our state! While Iowa still remains one of the last states that doesn’t treat animal torture as an automatic felony, all of us at Bailing Out Benji are thrilled that the penalties are more severe.

To all of you that sent calls and emails, THANK YOU! This was only made possible because we all worked together to have a strong voice for the animals!

To make sure you receive the latest animal welfare and puppy mill news, sign up to receive our emails and action alerts here:

secure.everyaction.com/nJH9y8dAW0ilG7-xltxBQQ2Governor Kim Reynolds just signed HF 737, the bill that will increase penalties for animal abusers in our state! While Iowa still remains one of the last states that doesn’t treat animal torture as an automatic felony, all of us at Bailing Out Benji are thrilled that the penalties are more severe.

To all of you that sent calls and emails, THANK YOU! This was only made possible because we all worked together to have a strong voice for the animals!

To make sure you receive the latest animal welfare and puppy mill news, sign up to receive our emails and action alerts here:

secure.everyaction.com/nJH9y8dAW0ilG7-xltxBQQ2 ...

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