Ask Dr. Jo: What is your responsibility when you own dogs?

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — ASG animal control officers are advising pet owners of their responsibilities when they have a dog. Did you know that you will be responsible if your dog bites someone — and that most often this results in the dog being euthanized to ensure that the dog does not injure another person?

It would be far better for the dog, for the victim who is bitten and for you to prevent this from happening in the first place.

Here is what the control officers recommend.

•    Dogs need to be kept on your property at all times unless they are under control by being on leash or in a vehicle.  Do not allow unsupervised roaming.
•    But that does not mean they are kept tied all day, every day.
•    Your dog needs access to fresh water at all times.
•    You need to give your dog proper food at least daily.
•    You need to provide basic health care for your dog – for example do not allow TVT tumor to spread and go untreated; treat for parasites and have injuries cared for properly.
•    Get your dogs neutered so they do not have unwanted young, and to keep packs from forming.
•    Help us get roaming, stray dogs off the street by keeping your dogs neutered and at home.
•    Do not tease or beat your dog – do not allow anyone else to

Faamolemole e faailoa atu o lou lava tiute le vaaia faalelei o lou taifau

•    E tatau ona iai lau taifau I totonu o lou fanua poo lou maota, vagana ai e mafai ona taitai I se leash poo totonu foi o le taavale. E le faatagaina le feoai solo e aunoa ma le le vaaia lelei o lau taifau.
•    E le tatau ona nonoa pe loka ina lau taifau I le aso atoa po’o aso uma.
•    E tatau ona faaaogaina vai mama e faainu ai lau taifau I taimi uma.
•    E manaomia ona tuuina meaai tatau mo lau taifau, pe faalua ile aso.
•    E tatau ona tausi lelei lau taifau ia aua nei maua I faamai e pei o le (TVT) po’o ole kanesa ma e taofia ai foi le sosolo I isi taifau pe afai e le togafitiina. E tatau foi ona togafiti mai I parasite e pei ole utufiti, anufe ma isi lava ituaiga manu’a e aafia ai lau meaola.
•    E tatau ona taoto pe faamama taifau ina ia faaitiitia ai le tele o meaola.
•    Matou te manaomia la outou lagolagosua ma la outou feasoasoani e faaititia taifau tata’a I luga o auala, e ala lea ile taofia lelei  o taifau I totonu o lou fanua po’o lou maota.
•    E le faatagaina ona faamataia lau taifau, poo se isi lava e faia lena tulaga I lau meaola.
•    Ia e nofo uta ma ia e malamalama ole a feagai lava oe ma lea tulaga pe afai e afaina pe faatamaia se tasi I lau taifau, e le toe iai se isi mea e mafai ona fai I lau taifau ole a faamoe pe faamalolo (EUTHANIZED) ina ia taofia ai le afaina o le mamalu ole atunuu