The Fourth of July is such a special holiday in America. It’s a time to gather with friends and family to celebrate our country’s independence with festive backyard barbecues, parades and, of course, fireworks.
But did you know that July 5 is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters? Fireworks and loud noises often frighten pets so much they flee their homes in terror. In fact, animal control officers across the country report a 30 percent increase in lost pets each year between July 4 and July 6—and only 14 percent of those pets are reunited with their families.
This Independence Day, be sure to help keep your furry family members safe at home where they belong by taking a few simple precautions:
Microchip your dog or cat before the Fourth of July. Microchipping gives your pet the best chance of coming back home should they go missing. In fact, HomeAgain has reunited over one million pets with the families who love them! Microchipping is a simple procedure in which your veterinarian inserts a microchip about the size of a grain of rice between your pet’s shoulder blades. It’s as quick as a vaccination and no anesthesia is necessary. Each microchip has a unique pet ID number assigned by a microchip company like HomeAgain—the number will pop up if a veterinarian or animal shelter employee waves a scanner over your pet. Then they can call HomeAgain to access your contact information and let you know the happy news that your dog or cat has been found.
Confirm the chip’s registration. You can use AAHA’s free Universal Pet Microchip Lookup tool to check to make sure your pet’s microchip is registered. If the chip isn’t in the database, register it today at homeagain.com.
Make sure your contact information for the microchip is up to date. If you have moved or changed your phone number or email address for any reason, it’s crucial that you let your microchip company know. You don’t want your pet to wind up permanently in a shelter or rehomed because there was no way to contact you.
Keep your pets inside—and calm—on the Fourth. Even if your pet typically stays outdoors, keep them inside on the Fourth of July to prevent them from fleeing when fireworks start exploding. Set up a comfort station in an enclosed space with a bowl of fresh water, and turn on soothing music to help drown out loud noises. Animals take cues from our actions, so act calm. Make sure everyone in the family does the same, including children. It’s a great way to get everyone involved in helping a beloved pet.
Act quickly if your pet goes missing. If your dog or cat runs away and can’t be found, call your pet’s microchip registry to notify them. Then post lost pet flyers—be sure to include your cell phone number in case someone calls while you are out looking. Be sure to call local animal shelters to see if they have animals matching your pet’s description. Some registries like HomeAgain will do this for you—plus alert their nationwide PetRescuer network on your behalf.
Let’s all work together to keep pets safe this Fourth of July so we can relax and enjoy this wonderful holiday!
Photo Credit: iStock.com/bjones27
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