For many animal shelters, the July Fourth fireworks frenzy results in a significant increase in the intake of dogs and cats. However, the day following the holiday, July 5, typically stands out as the busiest day of the year for shelters, likely due to pets fleeing in fear from the booming celebrations.
The Midland Animal Shelter reported taking in 26 dogs last Friday and Saturday.
“While we occasionally experience days with such high numbers, it does seem like an anomaly given our limited hours—we were only open until 3 p.m. on Friday and had shortened hours on Saturday,” explained Melissa Griffin-Hobson, manager of Midland Animal Services.
The shelter, which often sees a surge in intakes during holidays, is currently at capacity, making it challenging to accommodate more pets.
“We are in crisis mode because we are at full capacity,” Griffin-Hobson stated during a press conference on June 24.
She also noted that due to the overcapacity, healthy animals are at increased risk of being euthanized.
July Fourth complicates the situation for shelters. The holiday celebrations, which often feature loud fireworks, can scare pets, causing them to run away. Additionally, pets end up in shelters when owners leave them behind while going on vacation.
“High intake numbers during holidays are not uncommon as pets often go missing during gatherings and celebrations,” Griffin-Hobson said. “Our team works tirelessly to reunite lost pets with their owners and find loving homes for those without.”
Although the shelter reported an intake of 26 dogs, this number might not reflect the total pets picked up. In a previous story about pet firework safety, Griffin-Hobson explained that during field operations, the team scans pets for microchips or identification tags to return them home as soon as possible.
“If we can contact the owners, the pet is reunited with their family without ever entering the shelter. This is why we encourage microchipping, and currently, we are offering free microchip services to Midland pet owners.”
Griffin-Hobson emphasized that Midland Animal Services is focusing on better ways to educate the public regarding pet safety.
“Despite our efforts through videos, social media posts, and news interviews, our message does not always seem to reach everyone,” Griffin-Hobson said. “Our goal is to connect with each pet owner to ensure their pets are kept safe, especially during busy holiday periods.”
If your pet went missing over the holiday weekend, you can stop by the shelter to check if it was picked up. The shelter also partnered with Petco Love Lost, a lost and found portal where you can report or look for a pet.
The public can help the shelter with capacity issues through adopting, fostering, and spaying/neutering their pets. The shelter provides spay/neuter vouchers to Midland pet owners to help alleviate the cost of the surgery.
According to city officials, each animal at the shelter comes with a spay/neuter voucher, their first round of vaccines, is de-wormed, and ready for adoption.
Related Topics:
