FROM THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF ELMORE COUNTY
Two of the busiest days in Animal Shelters are the 5th of July and the 2nd of January – two days that follow nights of fireworks. So, with the 4th of July coming up this weekend, we know our phone will be ringing off the hook starting Tuesday, 5 July. Reality is – our pets and livestock do not love loud noises, and fireworks are at the top of their ‘petrified of’ list. Planning ahead is key so that your animals will be physically and mentally safe this weekend.
The simplest way to keep your pet(s) safe during fireworks is to bring them INSIDE, BEFORE any fireworks start and keep them in until well after all the fun has finished. They may still be scared and hide in a quiet spot in the house, but at least they will be safe at home.
If your pet cannot come in the house, then consider containing it in your garage or shop or barn as long as it isn’t so hot to be dangerous to your pet; and make sure any hazardous materials/items are safely out of reach of your pet no matter where they stay. Since some people seem to like shooting off fireworks well after midnight, it might be safest to wait until the next morning to let your pet back outside. And with the 4th being on Monday, you may have to see to your pet’s safety for three straight nights!
This is the week to make sure your pet has identification on their collar – rabies tag, personalized ID tag (which we can make in the shelter in a few minutes for $10), or write your phone number on their collar in indelible ink. Microchips are permanent (collars & tags can come off), so schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to have your pet microchipped as all area shelters scan found pets for chips. And all adopted shelter pets in our area are chipped so there is a good chance a found pet could have a microchip.
If your pet does become lost (or you find a pet), please call us at the shelter at 334-567-3377 as soon as possible so we can take a report (leave message if we are closed). Facebook is also an excellent resource to help lost and found pets so please go to our “Lost & Found Pets in Elmore County, AL” Facebook page to post pics and info.
There are also Lost & Found Pet pages for all the counties and many towns around Elmore County and we advise that you post your missing pet to every area page you can. Make sure to also post your lost pet on your own personal page as that can help a finder validate that the pet they found is yours. Perhaps most important is posting a photo of your pet AND post a phone number you can be reached at in the event you are out and not ON Facebook – oh and that means answering numbers you may not recognize as someone may be contacting you with information on your missing pet.
For finders – it may be best to text info and pics. We cannot stress enough the difference CURRENT photos make in reuniting pets and their families, so if you don’t have any, take them without delay! You can also email information and pics to us at hselco@bellsouth.net as we do print all of those and keep in our Lost & Found files and will check email even on the days we are closed.
A little planning to keep your pet safe this 4th of July will go a long way to you having a worry-free holiday yourself. Please have a safe and fun 4th of July weekend in honor of the freedoms we enjoy every single day.
