| Community Conversations: Keep pet safety in mind on the Fourth
While most of us look forward to the activity, it can be a very stressful and dangerous time for our pets. More animals bolt from their homes and yards during this time than any other time of the year and shelters become even busier trying to reunite pets with their owners and meet the pets' needs while they're in shelter care. Many of us think of our pets as members of the family and we want to include them in everything we do, but it's best to leave them home in safe and quiet surroundings for July Fourth festivities. Following these simple rules can insure that the holiday turns out to be a great one for you and your pet. n Don't take your pets to parades. The loud band noises, sirens from police and fire vehicles and the level of excitement and activity are not fun for animals and they scare easily.
Residents wade through floodwater
July 24 (Bloomberg) -- The worst floods in 60 years along the U.K.'s two longest rivers covered tracts of central England, leaving 140,000 homes without drinking water and pushing damage estimates above 3 billion pounds ($6 billion). The flood threat along the River Thames is forecast to reach its peak in Oxford today and Reading and Windsor tomorrow, after levels in the country's longest river, the Severn, reached a maximum yesterday. Both rivers reached levels higher than during floods in 1947, and more rain is forecast for tomorrow. Swaths of southern and central England remain under water. Roads are submerged, and the town of Tewkesbury, where some residents used boats to get around, was almost cut off. Hundreds more homes are at risk of flooding along the Thames, Joe Giacomelli, a spokesman at the Environment Agency, said today in a phone interview.
Local residents discuss dealing with flood insurance
Even though Johnne Neckar doesn't have to take a boat to his house anymore, his family still has one big concern: flood insurance. He's not alone. Insurance agent Terry Strickland said it's a popular topic these days. "They see their neighbors going through it and I think they realize they need the coverage as well, so we'll start getting calls," Strickland said. Neckar's house flooded back in March and his family immediately filed a claim. "It was in three weeks or so we had a check to start rebuilding," Neckar said. However, it wasn't long until things changed. "Then a week after we got our checks, we got a cancellation notice, so that wasn't too good," Neckar added. Theyve been with out flood insurance for three and a half months.
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