Eastmark is home to many four-legged friends and their families who care for them.

We all know that being a parent to a pet also comes with responsibilities. In addition to attending to their basic needs, there is also the concern of how they will adapt to their environment.

With temperatures dropping we see an increase in outdoor activity, which draws attention to some common concerns surrounding pet ownership. It’s a good time to remind everyone of the ordinances and etiquette that will keep residents of all species healthy and happy year round.

Oscar is on a mission to help his community become a shining example of proper pet ownership. When asked what the top five community concerns are he provided some “ruff” topics:

• Register and license your dogs and cats with Maricopa County Animal Care & Control. For added peace of mind, microchip your pets too!
• Leash your dogs at all times when they are outside of your residence or an enclosure. Leashes may be no longer than six feet in length.
• Barking or howling on a consistent basis is considered disturbing the peace and is, in fact, unlawful.
• Pick up after your pet, please! Neglecting to properly dispose of your pet’s solid waste is littering. Each park is equipped with pet stations to make cleaning up after your pet a breeze.
• Review the services offered by the city of Mesa’s Animal Control Department. If you have found a pet or yours is missing contact the Maricopa County Lost/Found.

We hope your pets enjoy being active and integrated members of the community. Let’s pledge to be responsible pet owners and continue to create harmony amongst pets and the people around us. After all, we don’t want to let our neighborhood go to the dogs!