You and your family may be celebrating during the long July 4th weekend, perhaps with fireworks. But for your pets, the next few days may be anything but a celebration. In fact, the holiday can be one of the most dangerous and stressful times of the year for pets, especially this year, because the holiday stretches over several days. The noise often drives pets, especially if left outside and unattended, to run away. “We have a higher volume of stray animal calls and a higher volume of barking complaint calls on July 4th than on almost any other night of the year” says Capt. Nina Bruce, Captain of Field Services for Animal Welfare.

And with the official holiday stretching out over this weekend, kennel workers are expecting a deluge of stray pets into the Eastside and Westside shelters on the mornings of July 4th and 5th. That’s when Animal Welfare will enact a contingency plan that will include field officers and kennel workers taking in scores of pets dropped off in the parking lots of both the Eastside and Westside shelters. Should your pet get lost and end up at either shelter, Animal Welfare wants to expedite the process. If your pet already has a microchip, a license and is spayed or neutered, he or she will be returned to you free of charge on July 4th & 5th. Owners will not be charged a reclaim fee. All they have to do is pick up their lost pets at the shelter.

It is the noise of fireworks, often into the early morning hours, that can stress cats and dogs into running away. Dr. John Romero, Associate Director of Animal Welfare and a veterinarian advises that once the fireworks start in earnest, “you should keep your pets inside and to some extent busy; give them something to chew on or play ball with them.” If your pet gets especially stressed, he recommends you ask your veterinarian for some sort of medical help to calm your pet down.

“This is the first time we’ve made this effort to reunite pets and owners quickly. That’s why it’s so important to have your pet microchipped” says Jeanine L. Patterson, MS, RN, COHN-S, Director of Albuquerque Animal Welfare, “because this is the most effective way to reunite these pets with their owners, should they escape the yard and get lost.” If your pet turns up missing during the weekend, please check Albuquerque’s Eastside or Westside shelters immediately. Or you can get help by dialing 311.