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| A Publication of the San Francisco SPCA's Law & Advocacy Department
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| Issue #7, Summer, 2001 |
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: |
City Releases Proposed Off-Leash Policy |
Rescuing Baby Birds |
| Our mission is act as an advocate on behalf of animals and as an enforcer of their rights.
To find about pending legislation affecting animals, search www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html
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Attention Advocate Subscribers!!
The Advocate is Now Available Online!
In an effort to reduce costs, The Advocate will no longer be sent to you by mail. As of this issue, we will be publishing the quarterly newsletter online in Adobe Acrobat pdf format. If you would like to be alerted via e-mail when a new issue is available online, click here and type "subscribe" in the subject heading. Be sure to include your e-mail address.
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Animal Transport Services
Air Animal - Domestic and International Pet Moving Services for Relocation Only
Independent Pet and Animal Transport Association - Local, National, and International Pet Moving Service. Click here to Find a Pet Shipper
O'Brien Animal Transportation & Services - Handling local, national and international trips for your pet.
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Bay Area Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers
International Bird Rescue Center
Berkeley, CA
(510) 841-9086
Injured and Orphaned Wildlife
San Jose, CA
408-559-7379
Peninsula Humane Society
Wildlife Care Center
San Mateo, CA
(650) 340-7022 ext. 340
Wildlife Rescue
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 494-7417
WildCare
San Rafael, CA
415-456-7283
website
Bird Rescue Center
Santa Rosa, CA
(707) 523-2473
Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue
Santa Rosa, CA
(707) 526-9453
website
Wildlife Rescue of Napa County
Napa, CA
(707) 224-4295
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The Advocate is a quarterly newsletter of The San Francisco SPCA's Law & Advocacy Department. The Law & Advocacy Department runs the Society's community programs including the Feral Cat Assistance Plan, providing free spay/neuter and subsidized medical care for San Francisco's feral cats; the Homeless Program, providing free life-saving medical care for the pets of the City's homeless people; and the Open Door Program, opening the doors of apartments and homes to renters with companion animals. Information on these and other programs is available on the internet at www.sfspca.org/Advocacy.html. The Advocate is published quarterly. All rights reserved.
Contact Us
Feral Cat Assistance:
415-554-3071
Open Door:
415-554-3098
Wildlife Helpline
415-554-3053
Email:
advocacy@sfspca.org
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SUMMER SPECIAL:
Traveling With Your Pet
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| Summer is vacation time and about half of all pet owners take their animal along when they travel. Here are some tips if you're planning a vacation with your dog or cat this summer.
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Car Travel
Most dogs don't mind riding in the car (and some love it), but cats tend to be reluctant car travelers. Think about whether your cat would be happier at home with a pet sitter. If you bring your cat on vacation, make sure she's acclimated to the car. Take her on short rides before you embark on a long road trip.
Pack toys, bedding, food, a first aid kit, an extra I.D. tag, any medications your pet needs and the phone number of your veterinarian. Familiar objects and a normal diet will help your pet feel at home.
Don't leave your pet alone in a parked car. Even with the window open a crack, the heat can be life threatening.
If you're driving across an international border, your pet will need a health certificate and proof of rabies vaccination.
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Trains, Buses and Planes
Most trains and major bus lines don't allow animals, except service dogs. Airlines accommodate pets, but air travel poses special risks for animals.
Pets generally travel with baggage in the cargo hold, where temperature control and ventilation may not be adequate. While the majority of animals traveling by air arrive safely, about 5,000 animals are lost, injured or killed every year, according to Air Transport Association estimates. Recognizing the dangers, some airlines no longer allow pets checked as baggage during the summer months.
The safest way for a pet to fly is in the passenger cabin. If your dog or cat fits into an under-seat carrier, you may be able to bring your pet on board. Most airlines allow only two pets per flight in the cabin, so book your trip well in advance. Be sure to ask about size and age restrictions (pets generally must be at least eight weeks old and weigh less than 15 or 20 pounds), carrier requirements and health documents.
The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends against tranquilizing pets traveling by air, because the medication disrupts their balance and can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems at the high altitudes of flight.
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Air Travel Preparations and Precautions
- If you must fly your pet in cargo, avoid traveling during holidays, weekends or peak hours. Fly mid-week and choose early morning or late evening flights to avoid the worst heat of the day. Don't fly when the air temperature is above 85 degrees.
- Take direct flights. Layovers and connections increase the chances that your pet will be lost or injured. Animals are at greatest risk when a plane is sitting on the ground and the temperature in the cargo hold can reach as high as 140 degrees.
- Request a seat as close as possible to the front of the aircraft, so you can get to the baggage claim area quickly on arrival.
- Make sure your pet's vaccinations are up to date. Get a health certificate from your vet (there's usually a fee of $10-$25) that is dated no earlier than 10 days before your departure.
- Obtain a high-quality, sturdy, airline-approved crate. It should be large enough for your pet to stand, turn and lie down comfortably. Write the words "LIVE ANIMAL" on the crate and add arrows indicating the upright position. Attach your flight information and emergency contact information. Also attach dishes for food and water, and a spare leash. If you mark the crate with bright colors, it will be easier to spot from a distance.
- If your pet has never used a crate, acclimate him before your trip. Put toys and treats in the crate and reward your pet for going inside.
- On the day of your flight, get to the airport early, about an hour and a half before your departure time. Walk your pet and give him a chance to go to the bathroom before you check in.
- Whenever possible, watch your pet being loaded and unloaded. Make sure the gate attendants and flight crew know you're traveling with an animal.
- If the weather is hot and your flight is held on the ground for more than 30 minutes, alert a member of the flight crew or ground personnel to check the status of your pet. Heat-related dangers rise dramatically when a plane is not airborne.
- Once the plane has landed, head to the baggage claim area immediately. Find out where oversize baggage is delivered and wait there until your pet arrives.
All things considered, if you can't take your pet in the passenger cabin, you should think twice about traveling by air. Can you drive instead of flying? If not, consider other options for your pet. Leave your cat or dog with a friend or family member, hire a pet sitter or board your pet at a reputable kennel.
For a copy of the San Francisco SPCA's "Animals on Airplanes: Traveling with Your Pet," click here or call 415-554-3097
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Rescuing Baby Birds
Baby bird season is in full-swing. Here are some tips on what to do if you find a baby bird:
- Try to determine whether the bird is a fledgling or a
nestling. A fledgling has the mature feathers necessary for flight. A nestling is still covered in baby feathers, or down, and is not ready for flight.
- Fledglings stay on the ground or in low bushes for several days while they test their wings and grow tail feathers. During this stage, their parents feed them regularly. If you come across a fledgling that is hopping around in an unsafe place--near the street or in a busy pedestrian traffic area, for example--gently pick up the bird and place it in a safer place, preferably not too far from where you found it. You can also attach an open-topped box to a nearby tree and place the bird inside. Do not attempt to move the nest or eggs of any bird; it is against the law in California.
- Nestlings sometimes fall out of their nest. If the bird is sick or abnormal, the parents may actually push it out. If you can find the nest, put the bird back in it. If you can't find the nest, put the bird in an open-topped box and attach it to a nearby tree. That way, the parents may find the baby and continue to care for it. Contrary to popular belief, birds will not reject their young because they've been handled by humans. If the parents push the baby out of the nest again or don't take care of it, it's probably ill. In that case, you should take the bird to your local animal control agency or a wildlife rehabilitation center (see list of Bay Area wildlife rehab centers).
- Do not attempt to feed a baby bird. You may offer it water, but do not force it to drink.
- Finally, to help fledglings and other birds survive, keep your cat indoors and encourage friends and neighbors to do the same.
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City Releases Proposed Policy on Off-Leash
Dog Recreation
National Park Service Announces ANPR Process
Overview
On March 21, 2001, the National Park Service (NPS) announced it would pursue an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to determine whether the park should engage in formal rulemaking regarding pet management in the Golden Gate National Recreational Area (GGNRA). Currently, the park staff is researching how the ANPR will be carried out and how the public will be involved in the process. A draft ANPR is being written; it needs approval from various officials before it can be implemented. If approved, the ANPR will be published in the Federal Register. The Federal Register notice will announce how and when public comment will be taken.
Staffing Requirements
A project manager is being hired to oversee the process and to integrate it into the park's planning and management efforts. The expectation is that the position is going to be filled by July, 2001.
Public Involvement
Once the process for public input is made clear, The SF/SPCA urges the public to get involved. This will be the time when public comment can contribute to developing a plan all San Franciscans--dog owners and non-dog owners alike--can live by. Superintendent O'Neill is exploring the use of an independent third-party consensus building group. The group would focus on the decision-making process and would work to develop good lines of communication with those who use or have an interest in the park and its resources.
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On June 12, San Francisco park officials and Mayor Willie Brown released a proposed new off-leash policy, revising 30-year-old dog policies in city parks. The proposed changes have spurred emotional debate between those who favor off-leash recreation and those who oppose it.
The proposed policy includes mandatory permits for dog walkers, more signs designating off-leash play areas and increased enforcement. Recreation and Park Department Director Elizabeth Goldstein has urged interested parties to review the proposal during the next 30 days.
The San Francisco SPCA believes that are major substantive flaws in the proposed policy. (You can read The SF/SPCA's Press release at http://www.sfspca.org/news_pages/pr_off_leash.html.) In brief, The SF/SPCA is concerned that the proposed plan includes no shared or mixed-use areas in the 3,500 acres of city parks; that it lacks detail regarding what additional areas are going to be suitable for off-leash dog recreation; that the scope and design of its proposed dog play areas (DPAs) are inadequate; and that it lacks workable enforcement mechanisms.
The plan also creates an advisory committee to negotiate neighborhood complaints and recommend additional park rules and new dog play areas. The SF/SPCA has been designated a potential member of the advisory committee.
The draft policy can be viewed on the city's web site, parks.sfgov.org. To request a copy by mail or to leave a message commenting on the policy, call 415-831-2084. The city is also accepting opinions via e-mail at dogpolicy@ci.sf.ca.us through August 13.
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