How to Prevent Zoonotic Disease

• Ask your veterinarian for information, and about local risk factors from pets and wildlife.
• Be sure that your pets, especially young puppies, are properly treated for worm infections (they can get infected by their mothers and should be treated from an early age), and that all your pets are receiving a recognized preventive medicine.
• Clean your hands after contact with animals. This is especially important for young children, who must be taught proper pet-handling technique.
• Keep your pet's environment (bedding, etc.) clean and disinfected.
• Pick up after your pets, as feces is a primary source of contamination with parasite eggs of the environment.
• Keep animals away from children's playgrounds, and cover all sand play areas to avoid contamination.
• Footwear is recommended in public playgrounds (long pants and gloves are also recommended for gardening, crawling under buildings, in dense vegetation, etc.).
• Support local leash laws and no-dog park zones for children.