Keeping your pet's health in tip-top shape is in the spotlight.

October 1-7 is Animal Health Week in Canada, with the Animal Health Clinic of Humboldt providing information locally.

Dr. Kim Hoshizaki says that each year there is a different theme to bring awareness.

"This year's topic is the five animal freedoms. Providing adequate shelter, proper nutrition, appropriate veterinary care, ensuring proper socialization, and allowing them to exhibit normal behaviour."

She added that being a health clinic, proper care of animals is the big one for them.

"Focusing on providing appropriate veterinary care is pretty key for us. I think people are unaware that if your dog's teeth are extremely bad, have foul breath, they're losing their teeth, that that needs medical treatment," she explained. "We're trying to get that information out to people that we are here for consult as well as for treatment."

Five Animal Freedoms
  • Providing adequate shelter: Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
  • Providing proper nutrition: Freedom from hunger and thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
  • Providing appropriate veterinary care: Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
  • Ensuring proper socialization: Freedom to spend time with or away from members of their species as appropriate.
  • Allowing animals to exhibit normal behaviour: Freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and tools and not punishing animals for carrying out undesired behaviours.

Among the past topics the week has gone over include one health, natural disasters, and zoonosis, which is a disease that can be transmitted to humans through animals.

Hoshizaki says that they take time throughout the week to promote animal health, including a radio campaign, as well as simply handing out information.

"It just so happened that farm animal safety is this week, so I've been handing pamphlets out for that. We usually ask the schools and libraries if they are interested in putting up posters as well."

She spent Wednesday in LeRoy, making presentations to students for Safe Communities Humboldt and Area's annual safety day (pictured above), which went over topics including general safety around animals.