Animal shelters brace for influx following holiday weekend

ELMORE COUNTY, Ala. (WSFA) - Local animal shelters have an idea what’s coming - an increased number of pets. And it’s no secret why because it happens every year about this time.

Throughout the weekend, fireworks lit up the sky, wowed revelers and scared pets.

“The day after is the phone calls,” said Rea Cord, director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.

Cord has seen it all before. Following the Fourth of July every year there is always an uptick in the number of lost pets coming to the Humane Society of Elmore County.

“Facebook is full, the lost and found pages, the chat groups. The chat groups allow lost and found sometimes temporarily this week, so hopefully many of these will get reunited that way,” she said.

Cord predicts she’ll get an influx of about 10 animals Tuesday, which is about average after a major holiday such as the Fourth of July.

Much like the years before, Cord is prepared. She’ll grab her trusty scanner and see if the animal has a chip.

“Those of us in shelters are kind of familiar with all these chip numbers, so we pretty well know which manufacturer but we can go online also, do some generic searches, and then we get in touch with the chip manufacturer to say who owns this dog,” she said.

A word of advice from a 17-year veteran of the society.

“I kind of put a note out. It’s like ‘owners, if you’re thinking of surrendering your animals how about you just chill this week,’” Cord said.

In short, celebrate but remember our furry friends.

Here are simply suggestions to calm your pets during fireworks. Walk them during the daylights to avoid times when fireworks will be set off, close windows and curtains to muffle the sounds of fireworks and maybe create a quiet space where the pet feels in control.

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