News release from Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control:
Keep Pets Safe This Fourth of July
(July 1, 2014) – Animal Care & Control wants pet owners to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday while keeping their pets safe and secure. Dogs and cats can easily become overwhelmed by the sudden explosions of fireworks causing panic and fear. Pets that have never attempted to run off before may bolt through a screen door, jump a fence or dig under a gate to do so during the days surrounding the holiday.
Every year, the loud booms of fireworks contribute to the increased number of runaway pets that are found and given to Animal Care & Control. To keep pets safe, the city shelter offers these tips:
- Keep dogs inside your home or in a well-ventilated building as much as possible when fireworks are being used in your area. Cats should be kept inside at all times.
- Secure gates and supervise your animals while outside. Be sure to keep a current identification tag on your pet’s collar.
- Pets should not be taken to any parade or celebration where fireworks or sirens occur. Loud noises increase the chance of your pet fleeing and becoming lost in an unfamiliar area.
- Leaving an animal in a parked car when conditions pose a health hazard will result in a ticket. Even on a 70-degree day the inside of a car can reach temperatures of 120 degrees or more in a matter of minutes. Partially opened windows won’t provide sufficient air, but do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen, experience a seizure or suffer death in a short timeframe.
- If your pet disappears, the Animal Care & Control business office will be open Monday, July 7th from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. for people to search for a lost pet. Anyone finding a lost animal is asked to file a found report with the shelter. The animal can be kept in the finder’s home or relinquished to Animal Care & Control, located at 3020 Hillegas Road. Call 427-1244 for information and to immediately report a found pet.