Charlie is a happening kind of guy. A young and physically fit redhead, he enjoys strolling the streets around his home. He knows all his neighbors, and they all call out a greeting to him as he walks by. He keeps an eye on what everyone is doing, stops and talks, charms folks with his friendliness and winning personality, and he has this way of getting them to do just about anything he wants.

Yeah, Charlie is a great guy. Problem is, he also has a bad habit of using his neighbor’s garden as his personal outhouse. He also stalks birds and leaves baby rabbit carcasses on front porches.

Pretty much the behavior you’d expect from a cat.

At the Lawrence Humane Society, we know that many people believe their animals should be able to come and go as they please. And out in the country, on a farm, perhaps, this might work. But within the city limits, we have so many other considerations to keep in mind, not the least of which is the animal’s own safety – something for which the animals themselves seldom seem concerned.

Traffic poses a major hazard to any animal who is not restrained. Unfortunately, all those little guys bolting across streets in front of traffic created the development of the oft-recorded shorthand “HBC” on veterinary charts: “Hit By Car.” Cars are, in fact, the No. 1 killer of cats.

You may let your animals loose, saying, “Oh, Spot or Kitty is friendly and wouldn’t hurt anyone,” but can you really be certain that Spot or Kitty won’t wander into a yard in which the resident animals are overly protective or downright vicious with intruders, particularly with those who have been declawed?

Can you really be sure that your dog won’t end up in a fight with a rabid animal, or your cat won’t come into contact with another cat carrying feline leukemia?

While the neighborhood kids might know how to handle your animal, what assurances do you have that the kids a few blocks down aren’t more interested in throwing rocks at your pet than petting him?

What about those houses up the street where the chemical lawn service truck is just pulling away? Can your loose pet read the signs and avoid the wet treatments that can make her violently sick or even kill her? Most people don’t treat their yards for fleas and ticks, and in addition, the world is filled with nasty ways for cats and dogs to acquire intestinal worms.

And speaking of things that animals might consider a tasty treat, how about the antifreeze leaking from the broken-down car a few houses away from you? Those sticky green puddles taste sweet to a dog, whose sniffer is always working overtime looking for snacks, but it’s actually ethylene glycol, a lethal compound. Do you trust your best friend to, without fail, exercise his best judgment and “just say no”?

Cats, and especially dogs, are happiest when they are with you, and that’s also when they are safest. Feel free to call the Lawrence Humane Society with any questions or concerns you might have. We’re always available with information to help your pet live a long, healthy and joyous life. And stop by soon to visit or adopt; during July, we handled 736 cats and 450 dogs.

– Sue Novak is the president of the Lawrence Humane Society board.