In light of National Animal Safety and Protection Month
Curran Fetches Pet I.D. Cards for Pet Owners to Alert First Responders of
Furry Family Members Left Home Alone
Cards will be available for free throughout the County in County buildings, animal shelters, community centers and more
MINEOLA, NY – Expanding on Nassau County and the Police Department’s emergency contact protocols and databases, County Executive Laura Curran, Supervisor Judi Bosworth and Legislator Ellen Birnbaum joined at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter to introduce Pet I.D. Cards in light of National Animal Safety and Protection Month. The cards are intended to alert first responders that a pet(s) is home alone and provide emergency contact information, description, medical issues, microchip number, etc. The cards are free and will be available throughout the County in County buildings, animal shelters, community centers, senior centers, park administration buildings and more.
“While our public schools and police department have emergency contact protocols, programs and databases including KidPix, Senior Pix, R.E.A.C.H., and more - Fido can be forgotten. Especially for older residents who may live alone and may be more likely to have an accident,” said County Executive Laura Curran. “Our goal is to get this simple safety item into the hands of every pet owner to help protect pets across the County and provide our brave and dedicated first responders with easy access to vital information.”
"Individuals no longer have to worry about what will happen to their furry friends during an emergency. The I.D. cards will help give owners piece of mind and ensure that their pets are safe and cared for in the event they become ill or injured. I thank County Executive Laura Curran for providing this free service for Nassau residents," said North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth.
“Not only do first responders play an essential role in providing medical care during an emergency, they gather the information that allows authorities to contact family members that will take charge of daily responsibilities - like pet care - while the person recovers,” Nassau County Legislator Ellen W. Birnbaum (D - Great Neck) said. “The Pet I.D. program is a simple tool that will go a long way toward ensuring that our beloved animal companions are never overlooked. I applaud County Executive Curran, Supervisor Bosworth and Police Commissioner Ryder for spearheading this effort.”
“In light of National Animal Safety and Protection month, this new program will bring another layer of safety and security in the event that an animal owner becomes unable to communicate for a variety of reasons. First responders will be able to use the new Pet I.D. cards to ascertain if there may be a pet in need of assistance, thus bringing a level of comfort to both the owner and pet,” said Commissioner of Police Patrick Ryder.
The County will be working with the Nassau County Police Department to notify law enforcement that the cards exist and ensure that they check for it while looking for other emergency contact information.
