If you have lost your pet, it is important to respond immediately.

Please visit our dedicated Lost or Found page for a list of all the things you must do to reunite quickly with your pet.

Once you have secured the stray animal safely you need to make every effort to get the pet back to its family.

Just think how grateful you would be if someone saw your pet walking the streets, picked it up and got it safely home to you. There is nothing more rewarding than saving the life of an animal and returning it to its owner.

Please visit our Lost or Found page for a list of all the things you can do to reunite a pet quickly with its owner.

For information on finding an appropriate home for a stray visit our Animal and Pet Placement page.

If you need help with medical expenses, contact us. Depending on the help you need, we may be able to provide assistance.

In the event that we cannot help, you can contact Actors and Others, a non-profit that aids in pet medical expenses. Bacially, you will visit your local vet, find out what the expenses are, then call Actors and Others and relay that information to them, and they will help, if possible.

Having a primary care veterinarian is very important because animals need vaccinations and checkups throughout their lives. If you find that a veterinarian isn’t a good fit for you and your pet, definitely keep looking. Not all veterinarians put the animal’s needs first (some young vets have been known to concentrate on up-sells even when the pet is in dire need and the pet owner is panicked.) Bedside manner is as important, at times, as expertise and knowledge, so don’t feel you have to stay with the first vet you see. Customer reviews for clinics and doctors can prove very helpful in making a decision.

Keep handbooks around to inform you about any potential problems and their solutions when dealing with your pet – such as the “Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook” by Delbert G. Carlson. Books like these will allow you to properly care for your pet when a veterinarian is out of reach.

Have a veterinarian’s number available to everyone in your family in the event of an emergency.

There are many things you need to know about caring for your pet, so visit our dedicated page Animal Care for a list of helpful information.

If you have a feeling that an animal is being abused or neglected, don’t assume things will get better.

Try to take the time to collect evidence; observe the animal or hear it, and if there is a problem, try to find out. If it becomes evident that animal abuse is going on in the homes of your neighbors or anywhere in your community, take action. Ask the owners if there is a problem that you can help them with or if the animal needs treatment that they are not providing. Of course, do this with respect and don’t personally attack the owner.

If the problem persists or worsens your go-to response should be to call your local animal shelter. If the problem is extremely serious, you can contact the police by dialing 911.

Go to the vet. That is the the only answer to any medical issue.

If you need to find a home for your pet, the responsibility lies with you; the pet owner. There are several ways of doing this with just a little effort.

Place an ad in the local newspaper. The Santa Clarita Signal newspaper will run free adoption ads. This is the best way for your pet to find a new home, and you can renew this ad for as long as you need to.

Please visit our dedicated page Animal & Pet Placement for a detailed list of all the things you can do to place your pet in a new home.

Get them to a safe, warm environment; feed them (if you have the proper supplies), and then get in touch with professionals who can help.

Don’t do anything without verifying that what you are doing is correct. If you’ve never cared for nursing newborns, or you are unfamiliar with the animal species, you need outside help.

Get a trainer.

Proper training is the answer to many problems. If you think your pet may bite a child, do not let children near them. If there are children around, put away all of the pet’s balls and toys. Dogs are territorial. Not only that, they see children as pets, which is why children get bit frequently.

If you know there is an issue – even with your pet and their food bowl – secure your pet and do everything you can to protect them, yourself, and others. As the pet owner, it is your responsibility to control the situation. Make sure there is always space for securing your pet if you think there may be an issue.

Animal shelter.

Shelters are filled with great animals. It doesn’t matter what breed you’re looking for, they exist in a shelter.

Yes. Definitely get your pet neutered or spayed. This process accounts for the 1/3 drop in the number of animals killed yearly.

The only first answer to any medical question is, “Take your pet to the vet.”

But every once in awhile your pet may simply eat something disagreeable and seem fine otherwise. Make sure they get plenty of water, as diarrhea can severely dehydrate them. Give them a bland diet of white rice and boiled chicken. If the problem persists, take your pet to the vet.