Updated Safety Protocols at A&S Pet Care: Luna's Story
As some of you already know, in September, our dog Luna was attacked by three off-leash dogs at a local trail and was bitten badly enough that she needed stitches at the emergency vet. It completely shook our family. The weeks following were such a challenge..Luna is almost 8 years old and struggled with the sudden change to her routine, inability to go on walks, and she had significantly increased fear reactivity towards other dogs.
We are now working closely with a trainer to help her recover from this emotionally traumatic attack - working on her fear of dogs and rebuilding her confidence in her handler and herself.
This is why we have our dog safety protocols: We never want any family we serve to go through what we did. You put your trust in us to keep your pets safe. Your pet's safety is personal to us—because we know exactly how fast a normal walk can turn into an emergency.
To further strengthen our emergency preparedness and reduce risk during walks and visits, we’re implementing the following updates across our entire team:
Safety Tools All Staff Now Carry
Airhorns: For deterring off-leash or aggressive dogs or other animals;
Slip Leads: For quick and secure way to secure off-leash dogs or leash your dog in the event of an equipment failure of your collar or harness
Carabiners: For additional leash safety and leash attachment security;
Human & Animal First Aid Kits: Each staff member carries a full kit in their vehicle with everything from wound care supplies to benadryl and tick removal tools. We made a recent video about our first aid kits here.
Dog Handling Policies
No dog-to-dog interactions with stranger dogs while in our care, even with familiar neighborhood dogs.
No off-leash time off of your property, even in off-leash permitted trails. This ensures our full control at all times. We do have long-line leashes if you'd like a similar experience, just let us know.
Our Emergency Preparedness Plan
If an unexpected incident occurs while your pet is with us, we will follow these steps immediately:
Immediate Contact: We will call you right away. If you don’t answer, we will send a text detailing the situation and call your Emergency Contact(s).
Emergency Veterinary Care: We will transport your pet to the nearest emergency veterinary facility.
Our preferred location is Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) in Shrewsbury due to their speed and quality of care.
Ongoing Communication: We will continue attempting to reach you and will keep you updated throughout the entire process.
Veterinary Authorization: If treatment or procedures are needed, you will call the veterinary office to provide authorization and credit card information.
Situations like these are exactly why we carry insurance. All of the above policies and procedures follow our insurance company’s recommendations.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving with your pets!
