Don’t ruin your Independence Day by making mistakes that can be avoided. Rancho Coastal Humane Society (RCHS) reminds owners that more American pets run away on the 4th of July than any other day of the year.
“The solution is prevention,” says RCHS spokesman John Van Zante. “Most pets don't like fireworks, and they don’t want to go along to a fireworks display. It’s loud. If they can get away, they will run away from it. No matter where they run, there’s more noise…so they run until they’re lost.”
Van Zante cautions people NOT to leave pets outdoors…even in a fenced yard. “A small dog can find a way to climb or scramble over a tall fence when it’s scared. Keep pets indoors in a secure area. Turn on the radio or TV. Some pets need medication to deal with the stress.”
Many pets escape by pulling out of their collars. (Mom always said to never leave home without identification.) If pets lose their collars and they don't have microchips, there no way to identify them. Make sure your pet is wearing a collar and it has a microchip.
- Check to make sure the information on the pet’s tag and on the microchip registry is current and accurate. Have you moved or changed your phone number?
If your pet does run away on the 4th of July, Van Zante says, “In the city of San Diego, call the San Diego Humane Society. For the rest of the county, contact the agency that handles animal services for your area.
- Be patient. It’s their busiest day of the year.
- Post a notice with a photo of you and your pet together on Next Door, Craig's List, Facebook, X, Instagram, etc. (There’s an excuse to take a new picture with your pet.)
- Give your contact information for someone who might find your pet, but don’t post personal information that can set you up to get scammed.
Be careful if you FIND a lost pet. It's probably scared. An attempt to reach out and pet the animal could be met by a defensive response. It might not want you to get close enough to read a tag on a collar. Don’t force it.
If it’s safe for you to get close to the animal, check to see if it has a collar and identification.
If there’s information on the tag, contact the owner. If not, get the pet into an enclosed area and contact County Animal Services or San Diego Humane Society. Again, be patient. Officers are doing everything they can to keep frightened pets safe on their busiest day of the year.
Be patient. Pets who run away and get lost often take days to come out of hiding.
“4th of July picnics can be dangerous for pets,” adds Van Zante. It's hot, pets beg, and they bark. I’ve seen people bring their dogs along to barbeques, then get mad at them because they want to join the festivities, including the hamburgers and hot dogs.”
Frustrated picnickers resort to putting their dogs in hot cars or tying them to bumpers. That spoils the day for everyone in the area.
Pet Emergency hospitals treat dogs who burn their paws on hot coals, touch their noses or tongues to grills, choke on chicken bones, and swallow kebab skewers.
RCHS warns owners that dogs can burn their paws on hot sidewalks, pavement, or sand and that a dog can over-heat at the beach, as well as anywhere else.
Make sure your dog has access to shade, something safe to stand or lay on, and plenty of water.
“Spending the 4th of July at an Emergency Animal Hospital or searching for a lost pet is nobody’s idea of independence. One day of caution can save a lifetime of regret.”
For more information about keeping pets safe visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas, call 760-753-6413, or log on to sdpets.org.