Fourth of July fireworks are known to scare pets, who sometimes panic and run away. That leads to a surge in stray animals at local shelters, and this year was no exception.
From July 4 to 8, 166 stray dogs were turned into animal shelters in San Diego, Oceanside and Escondido, said Nina Thompson, a spokeswoman for the San Diego Humane Society. The San Diego Humane Society took over control of county animal shelters at the beginning of July.
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By the end of the weekend, 81 dogs had been picked up.
If an owner is looking for a lost pet, information is posted online. That website is updated every 15 minutes, Thompson said.
Owners can also consult this chart to determine what shelter to contact about missing pets.
To prevent pets from running away, the San Diego Humane Society recommends keeping pets inside with the doors and windows closed. If leaving pets alone during while fireworks boom, owners can leave the TV on or play soothing music to help drown out the noise.
