Catching up on pet paperwork

Jennifer Vanderau
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter

(1/2022) You know what’s funny? I thought 2021 had quite a huge responsibility on its shoulders a year ago. Little did I know. It looks like 2022 has even more.

Can’t you just hear 2022 saying, "I have to follow all of that?"

I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that said something like, nobody move too quickly. Let’s approach 2022 slowly, without a lot of fanfare.

I also saw one that said Soylent Green was set in 2022. You know, the dystopian sci-fi film? Yeah. That doesn’t seem like it bodes too terribly well.

And as I’m typing this, I just got a text from a friend that is a photo of a woman clutching her chest and the caption reads: The moment you realize 2022 is pronounced "2020 too."

It seems like everyone is feeling the worry about what the future holds.

But the thing is, just like with everything in life, we have literally no idea what the future holds at any point in time – continuing pandemic or no continuing pandemic. One of my favorite quotes about worry is: worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it never gets you anywhere.

It’s very true. I know not worrying is often easier said than done, but it really does take up a lot of energy that could be spent on much better endeavors.

Regardless of what 2022 brings, worrying about it won’t change that outcome. Not one bit.

So instead of jacking up my anxiety about it, I’m going to recall the good and think positive about what’s to come.

Despite how crazy the world is and has been, we have seen a lot of great adoptions and donations in this past year. We have such amazing supporters and I will be forever grateful to every one of you.

It does my heart good to know that even though things are nuts, we are still finding animals homes at CVAS and we will continue to do that no matter what 2022 brings.

With the start of each new year, I also like to remind everyone that now is a good time to consider taking inventory with the paperwork side of having animals in our lives. So let’s talk vaccinations and licenses, shall we?

Every dog three months of age and older in the state of Pennsylvania must have a current, up-to-date dog license. In Maryland it’s four months and older. Licenses go on sale as of January 1.

Dog licenses need to be purchased January 1 and expire December 31 each year. So even if you got a dog license, say, in March 2020, it will expire on December 31. If you have a canine, make sure a license is on your list to start the year.

Rabies vaccinations are also a law in Pa. Any dog over 3 months of age must have a current rabies vaccination. This also pertains to cats that are inside your home for any amount of time in a 24 hour day, according to Pennsylvania state law.

In Maryland, rabies vaccinations are required for animals 4 months of age and older.

Failure to provide your pet with a license or rabies vaccination could result in fines. It’s the law in Pa. and Md., so it’s a good idea to make sure your furry friends are up-to-date.

I also like to talk about microchips because we’ve had a lot of success with getting animals home because of microchips and beginning a new year seems as good a time as any to consider them.

Every time an animal comes into the shelter as a stray, we scan him or her for a microchip. Collars and tags seem to be one of the first things to go if a pet is running for a while, but a microchip is permanent identification, embedded just under the skin between the shoulder blades.

We have a scanner that reads the number and that number corresponds with the owner. A lot of vets offices I know have the scanners, too. Believe me, it is a happy day at CVAS when a microchip leads back to a mom or a dad and a dog or a cat doesn’t have to spend any time in a kennel at the shelter.

One of the best parts about having your animal microchipped is you can qualify for a for a lifetime license, which means you no longer have to worry about getting a new one every year – it’ll be good for the life of your dog. It’s another way to make microchips more appealing for pet owners.

As we enter into a new year that we all are hoping has some more good in store for us than the previous years did, making sure our animals are cared for should be one of our top priorities.

From all of us at CVAS, we wish you and your family (both two-legged and four-legged members) a fantastic 2022!

*****

Jennifer Vanderau is the Director of Communications for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter in Chambersburg, Pa., and can be reached at cvasoc@innernet.net. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at (717) 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org.