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Helpful tips to keep pets safe this New Year’s Eve

The City of Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) suggests easy tips to help keep your pets safe this holiday. Prevent food and alcohol poisoning: Keep table food away from your pets. Update your pets’ tags and microchip information: Fireworks and other loud noises may frighten your pet, causing the pet to run away. Keep pets away from fireworks: Fireworks, such as sparklers, can burn pets. “With just a few simple steps, you can keep your pets happy and safe as you ring in 2021,” said Walter.

149 cats, dogs adopted during Black Friday weekend

Published: November 26, 2020, 10:40 am Updated: November 30, 2020, 11:14 amJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Great update: 149 animals have new homes after the Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) and Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) hosted a Black Friday event offering free adoptions. JHS told News4Jax that 92 cats and 57 dogs were adopted from Nov. 27 through Nov. 29. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Those interested in viewing JHS’ adoptable pets can visit www.jaxhumane.org. Visitors to can also help the pets in our community by bringing a bag of dog or cat food as a donation. For more information, visit www.

Jacksonville man charged with 16 counts of aggravated animal cruelty

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man is charged with 16 counts of aggravated animal cruelty. The complaint shows the dogs had no potable water, little food, cages filled with feces and urine, and were emaciated. The dogs are now being cared for at ACPS, which is trying to get sole legal custody of the animals. According to an arrest report, the case against Mercer began on Sept. 24, when a neighbor reported an awful smell coming from Mercer’s home, along with the sound of barking dogs. An animal control officer went to the home and found 16 canines, most of which were hound dogs, that were used for hunting, according to Mercer.

COVID-19 dashboard shows active cases in Alachua County schools

GAINESVILLE, Fla. A series of digital charts compiled on the Alachua County Public Schools website provides the number of the reported active COVID-19 cases among students and staff at each school in the district. Active cases are defined as those reported within the previous two weeks, which is the incubation period for the virus, the page said. The page also includes a chart labeled District Totals, a running total of all cases of the virus that have been reported since Aug. 17. The dashboard notes that the cases listed on it did not necessarily involve patients who contracted the virus on a school campus. The Duval County Public Schools district planned to publish a similar COVID-19 dashboard in August with school-level information but was blocked by the Florida Health Department in Duval County, citing federal privacy laws.

Free pet adoptions during ’Leap into Love’ event this weekend

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Get ready to fall in love with a furry friend this Leap Day! The Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) and Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) are hosting an adoption event to celebrate Leap Day on Saturday, Feb. 29 and Sunday, March 1. The event will be held at Petsmart’s Regency location between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Both shelters will be offering free adoptions on site as well and will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.“A leap year gives us one extra day to save more lives,” Denise Deisler, JHS CEO, said. “We are very thankful to PetSmart Charities for allowing us to host this event and for all their life-saving support.”All animals will be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up-to-date on vaccines.