FIREWORKS AND FUZZY FRIENDS
Facilities expect influx as animals flee fireworks
The West Valley Maricopa County Animal Care and Control shelter is at capacity, and officials are urging people to be vigilant of their pets as the Fourth of July holiday approaches.
Currently, there are about 500 dogs and cats being held at Maricopa County shelters, with the West Valley site at full capacity and the East Valley shelter being used for “overflow,” said Monica Gery, communications officer for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Services. There are another 200 dogs and cats in foster care, she said.
“Unfortunately, we are trying to get out as many as we get in every day, through adoption and other placements, but that is not always possible” Gery said. “We are getting in so many per day from the field intake and from over-the-counter intake.”
Each day, the shelters receive anywhere between 50 and 75 animals, Gery said.
A majority of these are strays or lost pets, and the shelters are taking some
“owner-surrenders,” which they are trying to discourage due to the current capacity situation. While some of
these pets do get picked up, others have stayed for months, she said.
The over-capacity situation is especially challenging for the county department as the number of animals brought in is expected to increase in the coming weeks because of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
“We know we are going to get a huge influx and we are concerned because we know that fireworks will probably start on Friday,” Gery said. “Even though Fourth of July is on Sunday, we know it is going to be a whole weekend long and that exacerbates it.”
According to Maricopa County animal care and control, shelters see a 30 to 60% increase in lost pets every year around July 4. Because of this, Animal Care and Control is advising pet owners to take extra care of their animals during the holiday weekend.
Gery said the most important thing pet owners should do is keep pets indoors and create a safe space for them to hide.
“Most pets are pretty terrified of the sounds (of fireworks), and you can play soothing music or distract them with treats or playing,” she said. “The main thing is if you can’t keep your pet inside and it has to be out in the yard, make sure your fences are secured as well.”
Gery also mentioned the importance of making sure pets have identification on them, whether that be a microchip, a Maricopa County licensing tag or a personal ID. The more identification a pet has, the easier it is for Animal Care and Control to find its home and owners, Gery said.
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Services are requesting that if someone finds a lost dog during the Fourth of July weekend, to report the pet on its online mapping system at https://www.maricopa.gov/162/LostFound-Pet.
Officials are also asking people to hold strays, if possible, for up five days as animal control employees make their way to specific spots.