Why is clean water so important for my pets? Clean water for your pets is important for the same reason clean water is important for you. Standing water becomes contaminated. Insects may lay eggs in it. Harmful bacteria and other microbes can multiply. If your pet ingests more than their immune system and digestive system can handle, they can die or become very ill. If you wouldn’t want to drink the water you are providing for your pet, please don’t make your pet consume it. In the same vein, please clean your pet’s food and water dishes on a regular basis.
This became important recently when most local water systems issued boil water advisories due to water line breaks or reduced water pressure. Just as you needed to boil water for your safety, you needed to consider your pet’s safety as well.
A failure to provide adequate water, food, shelter, or veterinary treatment for injuries can result in an animal cruelty charge against an owner.
Examples of passive cruelty may be an owner that fails to provide adequate shelter for their animal, believing that it can survive extremes of heat or cold; inadequate food and water, resulting in malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration of the animal; or unsanitary living conditions that expose the animal to parasites, disease, and injury that is not treated by a veterinarian.
If you’re not sure if you are properly caring for your animals, please contact your animal control officer if you live in Rockdale, (512) 446-3436 and ask for the ACO, or Cameron (254) 697-6574 and ask for Sandra, the ACO), via respective police departments. In Buckholts, please contact your Chief of Police, (254) 933-5575. For all others in Milam County, contact Mark McKibben, (818) 324-8256, or Jean Schara, (254) 627-0346. The people listed above are all certified Animal Control Officers for the State of Texas. Please contact during regular daytime hours during the week, and they will be happy to set up a mutually agreeable time to help.