Caring for your pet is as important as caring for yourself or your family. You sleep, eat, work, and play. So does your pet. A cat that chases a toy mouse is exercising his prey instincts. A dog that leaps into mid air to catch a tennis ball is obviously having fun.

Animals depend on people to meet their needs:

• high-quality food
• fresh water
• adequate shelter
• vaccinations and a veterinary exam every year to keep them healthy
• grooming
• toys and play
• training
• spay or neuter (sterilization) surgeries so companion animals can’t add to the pet overpopulation problem in our community
• and above all, love and compassion.

If you have questions about caring for your pet, a good source of information is your animal’s veterinarian. You may also call our animal shelter at 503-846-7041 for further help or check out our Web page on the importance of veterinary care.