STATESBORO, Ga. () — After a close call, the Humane Society of Statesboro and Bulloch County are asking cat owners in the community to check their pets’ collars.

The volunteer non-profit organization recently recused a black cat named Jack Skellington that was left outside for months with an improper collar.

The collar created irritation and deep cuts into the cat’s skin.

The Humane Society is hoping Jack’s case will bring awareness and encourage other cat owners to properly fit their pets with breakaway collars.

“It looks like a typical collar, but any pressure or tension is going to just pop it off,” Laurie Gunderson, humane society volunteer said. “This is the safest collar to use with any cats. Cats are notorious for climbing into things, climbing under things, climbing up trees, getting stuck on things and traditional collars will not break off and they can strangle or get some severe wounds like what happened in Jack’s case.”

Gunderson said the collars are readily available at pet stores.

“Almost all pet stores where they have cat objects, they’re going to have things to sell for cats and it will always be breakaway collars, or it should always be breakaway collars,” she said.

Another way to protect your cats is to microchip them, according to Gunderson.

“A breakaway collar obviously is the safest collar but if your goal is to keep track of your cat or identify it, it’s just going to come off when it when it gets caught on something,” she said. Then there is no identification for the cat. However, if they are microchipped, then they’d be able to trace it back to you.”

Jack will need months of care and recovery and the humane society is asking for the public to help cover the costs.

“Jack’s got a long road of recovery ahead of him and so if anybody is interested in donating to his vet bills, you can call Best Friend’s Animal Hospital, Gateway Animal Hospital and donate to the Humane Society. Either of those would be great. And you can also donate on Venmo, which is @BoroHumane.”

The Humane Society will also host a cat adoption event Oct. 4 from 12:00-3:00 p.m. at the Petco in Statesboro.