Washoe County Regional Animal Services – Fall Newsletter 2024

HELLO FROM THE STAFF AT WASHOE COUNTY REGIONAL ANIMAL SERVICES!

This quarter we are sharing a few exciting updates, some great information, tail wagging statistics, and some great stories!

!!!Graphic content alert!

Our region has external parasites such as fleas and ticks, that love to feed on the blood of warm blooded mammals such as dogs. A very young little pup came into Animal Services, who was badly infested with ticks. Ticks can cause tickborne diseases, anemia and death in severe cases. Your dog can be protected with preventative products, so talk to your veterinarian about how best to protect your pup.

Thanks to our Veterinarian – Dr. Slatin, and the rest of the dedicated team at Animal Services, who cleaned this pup right up. He feels much better now!

Every day can be Check the Chip Day!

National Check the Chip Day was August 15th!

We are teaming up with our friends at Nevada Humane Society to remind you of one simple yet crucial step in keeping your pets safe—checking and updating their microchip information!

A microchip is only as good as the contact info linked to it so take a moment today to ensure your details are up to date.

Click here to learn how you can find your pet’s microchip number and update your contact information.

This small task can make a huge difference in reuniting you with your furry friend if they ever get lost.

 

 🐈 What are Community Cats? 🐈

Community Cats is a catch all term for feral and stray cats who live outdoors and are generally unowned. While they may not be socialized to humans, they are an integral part of our communities.
Many outdoor and community cats are microchipped. If you are unsure if a cat is part of a community cat colony or is an outdoor explorer who belongs to one of your neighbors, make a plan to scan! Scanning for a microchip can help identify if the kitty has a local owner. WCRAS, with local partners have sponsored 12 self-service microchip scanning stations located around town or you can have us scan them at WCRAS.
Want to learn more about community cats and how you can support them? Visit our website for information and resources: Washoeanimals.com/community-cats

Importance of microchip and ID tags

We always recommend that your pet has both a microchip and a physical ID tag, which is why we offer both to our community for FREE. Having both is crucial for a quick return home if your pet gets lost!

Microchips are a permanent form of ID. ID tags provide immediate identification, allowing any finder to easily contact you and return your pet. Together, they ensure your pet’s safety and enable the quick return of your lost pet!

Protect your pet for FREE during office hours: Monday – Friday: 8am – 5pm, or Saturday: 9am – 3pm For more info, visit washoeanimals.com or call 775-353-8900.

Statistics:

From April – June 2024 WCRAS had 2,279 cats and dogs come into our care. Approximately 25 animals every single day!

Pet Resources

Vaccination clinics

Having updated vaccinations is important for all pets in our community; Animal Services offers a vaccination clinic at our office on the first Wednesday of every month from 3:00pm – 7:00pm.  Appointments generally take about 15 minutes and most vaccines are only $10 each!  Click here to make an appointment!

Free Microchipping

Microchips are a permanent form of identification for your pet to help them get home! Bring your pet to Animal Services anytime Monday-Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm or Saturday 9:00am – 3:00pm and our staff will microchip your pet and register your microchip for free!

 

Free pet food for local seniors

On the third Tuesday of the month, Animal Services, in partnership with SPCA of Northern Nevada, will be at Washoe County Senior Services to provide free pet food to local seniors with pets. Every month we provide about 1,500 pounds of pet food to local seniors with pets!

Public Microchip Scanning Stations

Want to help keep a lost pet out of the shelter? With 12 public stations setup across Washoe County, you can now scan any found pet for a microchip and contact the microchip company to help you reunite the pet! You help a pet and save valuable space at the shelter for pets that truly need to be here. Talk about a win-win! For more info check out our lost and found page.

Lost and found page

Dog Licensing

A license to help them get home, and to follow the law? Now that’s a two-fur deal! Whether you are purchasing your first annual dog license or have been licensing your dog with us for years, there’s no time like the present to get your pup licensed!

Get your license now at Washoe.docupet.com

Update your contact info

Does Animal Services know who to contact if we find your pet? Having updated contact information is vital to helping us reunite pets with their families. If your information has changed please help us update our files by completing this simple online form. You can also email us at Pets@washoecounty.gov or stop by our office.

Lover Boy

Lover Boy the cat had sustained a severe injury to their back paw that required the paw to be amputated. His human, a veteran on limited income, had been seeking veterinary care but was unable to afford the surgery. Animal Services stepped in to provide financial support and collaborated with our partners at Nevada Humane Society who provided the amputation surgery Lover Boy desperately needed. Now, Lover Boy is back home healing and happy beside the person who loves him most. Read Lover Boy’s full story here.

Kudos story: WCRAS staff provide much needed groom

Some breeds of dogs and cats require a little bit more maintenance in the way of grooming. For animals that have longer fur, regular grooming is often necessary to prevent discomfort, foreign objects from becoming entangled in the fur, and painful mats that pull on the skin. Grooming also helps maintain a cleaner hygiene.

Thanks to Dr. Slatin and our medical team, this pup got a necessary doggy spa treatment and is feeling and looking so much more comfortable!

See you next quarter with more news and updates!