For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family, including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to include them in the festivities, the fireworks explosions frightens most pets and can cause them to run away. The Turlock Animal Shelter has been busier than ever this week with reports of missing pets since the holiday.
“July is usually the busiest time frame that we have throughout the whole year. We have averaged about 20 to 25 phone calls every 30 minutes from people looking for their pet and reporting them lost. This is above and beyond the normal activity,” said Animal Services supervisor Officer Glena Jackson.
Jackson, who has been working with Animal Services for 17 years, said that July is the month they see the most recovery and owners should continue searching for their pets. She asserted that animals tend to be out of their element with the extensive noise from the fireworks.
“When an animal gets out, it has a three mile radius. If it wanders, it will come back home. But when the fireworks go on, the animal starts getting frightened at the noise and they continue moving to the point where they are disoriented and lost,” said Jackson.
While the Fourth of July is over, fireworks are still being set off. This makes it more difficult for owners to recover their missing pets.
“We want people to report their animals lost as soon as possible. We have set up a Facebook account for community members to interact with us and see if their animal was recovered by us, because if those animals do not have a microchip or a license, it makes the process more difficult,” said Jackson.
The Turlock Animal Shelter suggests that prior to the 4th of July, animals should have a microchip implanted so if in the event they went missing; it would be easier for the pet to be located.
“The animals need some sort of license or identification. If the homeowner is aware that the animal has sensitivity to noise, they need to take the necessary precautions to keep the animal secure. Whether it means to bring them in the house or keep them locked in a kennel,” said Jackson.
Turlock Animal Services has their own page on Facebook where they update pictures on recovered animals every 24 hours. For more information on recovered pets visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Turlock-Animal-Services-209-656-3140/158475007563732 or call 656-3140.
