Most of us have had a pet at one time in our lives and most of us know how an animal can become one of the family. The problem is if your “family friend” is loose, to someone else it is a stray animal that may be a nuisance, cause fear, or worse, may become the victim of a vicious animal or hit by a vehicle.

Fort Morgan has City Municipal Codes (Chapters 5-12 and 5-30) that do not allow animals to run at large. These Codes most commonly cover dogs and cats but also specify fowl such as chickens, geese, and other birds. These Codes are enacted to protect animals and people alike.

For a first time offense of having a dog running loose, a person would be issued a summons and given the option of admitting guilt and paying a $60 fine or going to court. A second offense results in a summons with a mandatory court appearance. In this instance, if they are found guilty not only would they have to pay a fine, they would also have the expense of missing work.

In addition to having the responsibility of keeping pets safe by keeping them contained, owners are also required to vaccinate their dogs and cats against the Rabies virus (Chapters 5-13 and 5-31).  Rabies can be passed between animals and to humans usually through a bites or scratches that puncture the skin.

Animals infected with Rabies may show symptoms in one of two ways. They may become aggressive, combative, and highly sensitive to touch and other kinds of stimulation and they can be vicious. Or the animal is lethargic, weak in one or more limbs, and unable to raise its head or make sounds because its throat and neck muscles are paralyzed.

In both kinds of animal Rabies, death occurs a few days after symptoms appear, usually from respiratory failure. Why would anyone subject their pet to these horrible symptoms and consequences when it could be prevented? The benefit of having your pet inoculated against Rabies is that it usually includes vaccination against other serious diseases like Parvo and Distemper too.

There are several organizations in Fort Morgan that host vaccination clinics throughout the year and can vaccinate your pet at a greatly reduced cost.