What should you do if you witness animal abuse or neglect?
Please contact your local animal shelter or animal services agencies as soon possible. You can choose to remain anonymous, if you wish.
City of Temple Animal Services: (254) 298-5732
Purebred vs. Mixed Breed. Which one is better?
Any dog/cat or puppy/kitten regardless of the breed or mix can make a great pet if the prospective owners take their time researching and acquiring their new pet. Early socialization and training is a prerequisite and will not only ensure appropriate communication between owner and pet but will strengthen the animal-human bond.
Knowing as much as you can about a specific breed will ensure easier training techniques and familiarity with your new pet. Most shelter employees possess knowledge when it comes to identifying the different mix of breeds. The shelter employees can provide tips for training your new dog.
What should I consider before adopting a dog or a cat?
Consider these important factor before you choose your new dog/cat:
Dog:
- Dog Size
- Dog Breed
- Shedding of Coat
- Learning Ability
- Grooming
- Diet
- Breed Group
- Dominance Level
- Adequate Living Area
- Energy Type
- Age
Cat:
- Breed of cat
- Shedding of Coat - Long, Medium, or Short Hair
- Grooming - the longer the hair the more likely it is to shed more and require brushing
- Diet
- Adequate Living Area
- Energy Type
- Age
What supplies will I need for a new pet?
-
Dog:
- Brush
- Comb
- Shampoo
- Rubber Mat
- Nail Clippers
- Towel
- Ear Treatment
- A book on how to groom your new pet
- Collar & Leash
- Food & Water Bowls
- Bed
- Toys
Cat:
- Brush
- Comb
- Litter Box
- Cat litter
- Collar
- Ear Treatment
- A book on how to groom & care for you pet
- Food & Water Bowls
- Bed
- Toys -Include a scratching post!
How can I train my new pet?
Getting your pet to react to your verbal commands requires time, patience and more than a few treats, the result will be a responsible, well-adjusted pet. A good place to start is with an obedience class. If you cannot afford a class, buy an instruction book to inform you of the best ways to train your new pet.
Keep a positive attitude! The pet should be rewarded when done right, if the pet does not follow your instructions a simple, deep NO should get your pet's attention. Do not hit your pet, this will make it mistrust you
How do you house-train your cat?
The title is a little misleading since almost from birth kittens are "house-trained". Unlike a dog which requires actual training, a kitty requires you to show them where their "litter box" is. Just place the cat in the box and gently scratch their paw across the surface of the litter. From then on, most cats know instinctively what to do with the litter box. It is a good idea to have 1 litter box for every cat you have. Yes, every cat. By forcing more than 1 cat to share a litter box, you may experience one or more of the cats refusing to share and urinating at a location they choose - if you're lucky it's linoleum...if you're not, it's carpet. Also keep the litter box in an area that's not heavily trafficked. Cats are private animals and may not use the litter box if children or other animals are constantly around. Online Reference
Why should I have my pet spayed or neutered?
The problem is pet overpopulation. Each year about eight to twelve million dogs and cats end up at an animal shelter around the country. Some are lost, some abandoned, some unwanted; most the result of irresponsible pet ownership. Sadly, between four to six million of them must be euthanized because there is not enough available homes.
Consider these facts:
- In six years, one female pup dog and her offspring can be the source of 67,000 puppies.
- In just seven years, one female cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens.
- There is theoretically no limit to the number of offspring male dogs and cats can produce.
- Every day in the United States, tens of thousands of puppies and kittens are born. Compare this to the 11,000 human births each day, and you can see that there can never be enough homes for all these pets
Is it healthier for my pet to be fixed?
Spaying or neutering helps your pet live longer, healthier lives. Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer.
Where can I find forms/documents to report and incident?
Please select the correct form below, or give us a call for additional questions at 254-298-5732.
Barking Dog Incident Log
Aggressive Dog Affidavit
Dangerous Dog Affidavit
Witness Statement Form
