- For Owners, Teachers & Clinics

PawSafe Resources.

Where to find help, how to teach with this site, and real stories that show why prevention matters.

Find Professional Help

AVMA Vet Finder

Search the American Veterinary Medical Association directory for accredited veterinarians near you.

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CDC Healthy Pets

Official federal resource on zoonotic diseases, outbreaks, and prevention guidance by pet type.

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ASPCA Poison Control

24/7 hotline for suspected pet poisoning, including from household chemicals and foods.

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WHO Zoonoses Hub

Global perspective on zoonotic disease, useful for research papers and classroom context.

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Emergency Hotlines

ASPCA Animal Poison Control

24/7, consultation fee may apply

(888) 426-4435

Pet Poison Helpline

24/7, per-incident fee

(855) 764-7661

CDC-INFO (general disease questions)

Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 8 PM ET

(800) 232-4636

Rabies exposure: your local health department

Call immediately after any bite from a wild or unvaccinated animal

911 if urgent

Teacher's Corner: Discussion Starters

Ten ready-to-use questions to spark classroom discussion after students explore the site.

  1. Why do you think some zoonotic diseases (like toxoplasmosis) mostly come from food instead of pets, even though cats are involved in the life cycle?
  2. If 30% of cats carry Bartonella but show no signs, how should that change the way we interact with all cats, not just sick ones?
  3. The sale of small turtles has been banned in the U.S. since 1975. Do you think that rule should still apply today? Why or why not?
  4. Why are children under 5, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems considered high-risk groups? What does that tell us about public health policy?
  5. Compare how rabies and leptospirosis spread. Why is vaccination so effective for both, and what does that teach us about disease prevention in general?
  6. Why might a pet owner resist the advice to stop feeding raw meat diets? How would you address their concerns while keeping them informed?
  7. What is the "One Health" concept, and how does zoonotic disease prevention connect animal, human, and environmental health?
  8. If a family member is pregnant, what changes should a household make around their cat? Who should make those decisions, and how?
  9. Birds, reptiles, and rodents each carry different risks. If a classroom were choosing a class pet, which animal would be safest and why?
  10. Imagine you are a veterinarian giving a 30-second warning to a new puppy owner. What would you say, and why those specific tips?

Real Case Studies

Composite stories based on documented cases. Names and identifying details changed.

Texas, U.S.

A pet turtle and a toddler's Salmonella infection

A family adopted a small red-eared slider turtle for their 4-year-old. Within two weeks, the child developed severe diarrhea and fever. Lab tests traced the infection to the turtle's tank water, which the child had touched during play.

The child recovered after hospitalization, but the pediatrician explained that children under 5 should not handle reptiles because their immune systems are still developing and they often put their hands in their mouths.

Lesson: Reptiles naturally carry Salmonella on their skin even when healthy. The CDC recommends no reptile pets in homes with children under 5. Handwashing after any tank contact is non-negotiable.

Ohio, U.S.

A hiking trip, a puddle, and leptospirosis

A golden retriever named Duke drank from a stagnant pond during a weekend hike. Three days later he was vomiting and lethargic. His owners assumed it was a stomach bug and waited. By day five, Duke was hospitalized with kidney failure from leptospirosis. He survived after intensive treatment, but his owner developed mild flu-like symptoms the following week.

Lesson: Leptospirosis symptoms can appear in dogs within 48 hours. A yearly lepto vaccine would have prevented this case entirely. If your dog seems sick after exposure to standing water, do not wait.

California, U.S.

A rescue kitten and ringworm that spread to a family

The Patel family adopted a stray kitten they found in their backyard. The kitten looked healthy, but within three weeks, their 8-year-old daughter developed a circular, itchy rash on her arm. Then their other cat got it. Then the father. A vet confirmed ringworm in the kitten, who had been an asymptomatic carrier.

The family had to deep-clean all bedding, disinfect furniture with diluted bleach, and treat every family member and both cats simultaneously to stop the cycle.

Lesson: Always take newly adopted pets, especially strays, to a vet for a health check before introducing them to your household. Ringworm spores live for months on fabric.

New York, U.S.

The bat in the bedroom

A woman woke up to find a bat flying in her bedroom. She shooed it out the window and went back to sleep. The next day, a neighbor told her bats can bite while people sleep without leaving a visible mark. She called her doctor, who recommended post-exposure rabies shots as a precaution. Because she sought treatment immediately, she never developed symptoms.

Lesson: Any bat contact during sleep is treated as a possible rabies exposure, even without a visible bite. Post-exposure treatment is highly effective if started before symptoms appear. Once neurological symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal.