By: Charleston Animal Society
The 4th of July Holiday is a happy time of year for people, but can be dangerous for pets in more ways than one. “By far, we see more pets turn up missing right after the 4th of July than any other time of year,” said Charleston Animal Society Chief Lifesaving Officer Pearl Sutton. “We urge people to keep. their pets inside and always have them on leashes because of fireworks that will be going off around the holiday, frightening animals.”
FOR THIS REASON, CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY IS OFFERING “PET AMNESTY” JULY 5TH – 8TH. ANY LOST ANIMAL WHO TURNS UP AT CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY CAN BE RECLAIMED WITH NO FEES DURING THIS PERIOD. (Mandatory spay/neuter surgery fees still apply for intact animals, per Charleston County Ordinance. Charleston Animal Society is not open on July 4th).
“If your pet goes missing, it’s so important that you take action quickly,” said Sutton. “We are open on July 5th and we encourage people searching for lost pets not to delay to coming to the shelter”
IF YOUR PET BECOMES LOST:
- Post a picture of your pet on PetcoLoveLost.org, a FREE service that will use facial recognition to locate your pet.
- Immediately search your neighborhood.
- Put up signs with a picture of your pet, his or her name and other important information.
- Post a picture and information about your pet's last known whereabouts on social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Visit Charleston Animal Society at 2455 Remount Road in North Charleston to see if your pet has been picked up by animal control or a concerned citizen and brought to the shelter.
- Visit CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/
lost-dogs or CharlestonAnimalSociety/lost- cats.
4TH OF JULY SAFETY TIPS
- Fireworks: Fun for Family, Not for Fido. Leave pets at home when you head out for fireworks, and don't ignite them around pets.
- Keep Pets Cool. Dogs and cats can become dehydrated quickly, so it is imperative to provide them with plenty of water when it is hot outdoors. Pets should also have a shady place to escape the sun if outside and they should never linger on hot asphalt during periods of extreme heat. This can cause an animal to heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn.
- Spot the Symptoms. Signs of overheating in pets include increased heart rate, excessive drooling and panting, difficulty breathing, weakness, elevated body temperature (over 104 degrees), and even seizures. Even if swimming, a dog can easily get sick in the heat.
- Glow Jewelry is a Potential Danger. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
