Our goal at Rising Sun Veterinary Clinic is to help pet owners as well as farm livestock owners to have healthy animals that live long lives. Our goals as veterinarians are to educate our clients on good preventative medicine so that our patients can thrive for their owners throughout life. For nearly 60 years Rising Sun Veterinary Clinic has been dedicated to its patients and clients with a constantly changing veterinary field and we will continue to provide these services in a clinic that is ready to grow and provide current medical techniques with a small hometown practice etiquette for our clients.
To help foster a more respectful attitude towards animals and encourage people to honor their responsibilities towards them, In Defense of Animals (IDA) has declared May to be Responsible Animal Guardian Month. Having a respectful attitude towards our pets starts with not referring to ourselves as their owners. This word makes a pet our property while the word guardian means that we are responsible for their well-being for a lifetime.
Goals of the Guardian Campaign
IDA hopes to accomplish two major things during the month of May. First, the organization wants to encourage responsible and loving behavior from people who are already pet guardians. This means committing to caring for the pet's physical and social needs in addition to forming a deep bond with the animal. The following are just some of the ways you can be a responsible pet guardian:
- Invest time in training your pet and apply rules consistently
- Use positive reinforcement rather than punishment
- Ensure that your pet gets plenty of opportunities for socialization
- Make exercise part of his daily routine
- Feed her nutritious food and limit treats
- Spend one-on-one time with him each day
- Schedule regular wellness exams at [Clinic Name] and bring her in if she displays new or worsening symptoms
IDA also uses this awareness campaign to discourage people from purchasing an animal from a pet store or breeder. The campaign's motto of "Adopt, Don't Shop" urges potential pet parents to consider saving a life by adopting from an animal shelter instead.
Has Your Pet Had a Wellness Exam Recently?
One of the mistakes that pet guardians often make is assuming that the animal doesn't need to visit a veterinarian unless he is sick or injured. Just like physical exams for people, annual wellness exams for pets help to identify and treat issues before they become more problematic.
Please schedule an appointment with Rising Sun Veterinary Clinic if your pet hasn't had a preventive exam in more than a year. Senior pets should be seen bi-annually while puppies and kittens under a year need regular exams and vaccinations.