The Director of the Vermilion County Animal Regulations Department is reminding pet owners to be cautious on Halloween.
Tony Van Camp notes pets might be scared by trick-or-treaters…
{‘’If they have any doubt that their animal might be aggressive with a child that’s got a mask on or Halloween costume – then definitely keep your animal contained and keep them secure,’’ said Van Camp. He says that way you will not have to worry about doing a 10-day bite quarantine for your animal. Van Camp also cautioned you should keep your pets away from the candy. ‘’There’s a lot of candy around that can be fatal to animals,’’ he noted during an interview with VermilionCountyFirst.com News.}
Meanwhile, Van Camp notes the County Animal Shelter has been running near capacity and is looking for people who might want to adopt dogs and cats. Currently there are 260 animals available for adoption at the shelter. All total there are 385 animals registered with the shelter. Some are in foster homes in order to be in a quiet environment as they undergo medical treatment.
Van Camp notes the shelter has been blessed by rescue groups…
{‘’We have several groups we work with that we transfer animals out to that are different rescues. Some are here in the state and some are out of state,’’ said Van Camp. ‘’We have a lot of help from our Vermilion County Animal Shelter Foundation for the medical treatment and medical expenses that are involved in the stray animals and the seized custody animals. They help us out tremendously with that. And if it wasn’t for the volunteers and donations and Foundation – we’d have a real hard time doing what we do here.’’}
There is a special adoption program running through Halloween. The cost to adopt a dog over 6 months old is $75. And the cost to adopt any cat with black or orange on it is $50. The price includes spay or neutering, vaccines, and a free first time wellness visit to a local veterinarian.
{Note: The dog in the photo is Forest, who is available for adoption. He got his name because he was found running at Forest Glen Preserve near Westville. You can click on the photo to enlarge it.}
