Palo Alto Animal Control

Happy #WorldTurtleDay! Please do plenty of research before adopting a turtle or tortoise and never abandon them in the wild. Too often they are mislaid here in the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve where they become an invasive species. Anyone who chooses to own a pet must be fully committed and understand how to care for them their whole lives. For turtles, that commitment could last 30 years or more. For tortoises, it could be as much as 60-80 years. Special permits ar...e required to own some species of reptiles. Educational links: California Turtle and Tortoise Club https://tortoise.org/geninfo.html American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) https://www.avma.org//pet-ow/petcare/selecting-pet-reptile

Yesterday we said goodbye to our long-time shelter/office cat Apollo. Apollo’s health had been deteriorating over the past several months. He was approximately 16 years old. Late yesterday afternoon, Apollo was euthanized by one of the Animal Control Officers who knew him best. Apollo was originally surrendered to Palo Alto Animal Services in March of 2009. He spent several months on the adoption floor with no takers. Apollo was an ornery cat, and often didn't make a good fir...st impression to potential adopters. Shelter staff at the time saw the real Apollo, and decided to promote him to Shelter Cat status after the loss of our previous shelter cat, Oscar. Apollo spent 12 years roaming the shelter grounds, crushing flower beds, and supervising the staff. He was known for being a good mouser and taking on dogs quadruple his size. He also enjoyed giving a passing swat to anyone he was less than fond of. Apollo was a one of a kind cat, and we were glad to have known him. RIP Apollo. #sheltercat #adoptdontshop #animalshelterlife

It’s bird breeding season! It could be as pleasant as watching a nest of hummingbird eggs hatch or as unpleasant as the eruption of caws from a murder of crows. For one family, the issue was a robin constantly hitting the second story window of the house. The bird’s attempts to attack its own reflection were so violent, its injured beak left marks on the glass. The homeowner marked the window with tape and placed photos of menacing birds of prey, but they did not deter the ro...bin. It even went on to attack a frosted glass window by the front door. After fighting with itself in the windows for weeks, presumably to protect its nesting territory, it finally ended and left the house in peace. If a bird is attacking your window, try to cover the window with something to remove the reflection such as a screen or dropcloth, until breeding season is over. If birds are colliding into your window, that’s a different problem. Check out this link for tips to prevent bird collisions. https://abcbirds.org/glass-coll/stop-birds-hitting-windows/ See more

Last Saturday, an attentive biker noticed a duck that was stuck in the mud at the Palo Alto Baylands. (And if you've ever been to the Baylands, you know that getting stuck in the mud isn't hard to do.) The duck most likely had an injury to a wing or leg to allow itself to get stuck in this way. Officer Macartney enlisted the help of @paranger Ranger Aguirre, his Kubota, and some wood boards to use as a walkway in the mud. The duck was rescued safely, and thankfully Officer Macartney didn't end up waist deep in mud. The duck, a Lesser Scaup, was transferred to Wildlife rehab for evaluation. #duck #lesserscaup #ACO #animalcontrol #parkranger #paloalto

THIS IS SWEET: Several weeks ago, a Greenwaste truck driver spotted a lost dog wandering the streets very early in morning. Concerned that she’d get hit by a car, the driver placed her safely in a box & called for an Animal Control Officer. "Pumpkin" an 18yr old Shih Tzu who recently moved into Palo Alto somehow escaped her new house. And her owners were very happy to get their much loved old girl back. #animalcontrol #aco #dog #cute #paloalto