SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 1, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Every
Independence Day, shelters are filled with lost and injured pets. The
Sacramento SPCA is recommending the following tips to keep your pet safe so
you can all enjoy a happy and safe Fourth of July.
* Make sure pets are microchipped and the chip registration (owner's
contact information) is up to date.
* Ensure pets are wearing a properly fitting collar with ID tags.
* As a backup plan, write your phone number on your pet's collar with a
sharpie marker.
* Provide physical and mental stimulation with a walk or playtime during
cooler morning hours - it can help pets stay calm in the evening.
* During peak firework hours the week surrounding July 4th, bring all pets
indoors, offer their favorite toy or a stuffed Kong, and add some ambient
noise (such as television or radio) to distract them.
Whether the plan is to visit friends for your holiday festivities or stay
close to home, it's important to remember our furry friends do not enjoy
the celebration as much as humans do.
"Every year, animal shelters are inundated with pets that panicked at the
sound of fireworks and fled into the night, winding up lost, injured or
killed," said Kenn Altine, Sacramento SPCA CEO. "By following these few
simple tips, pet owners can keep their pets safe and sound at home and
avoid unnecessary worry, reclaim fees and heartbreak."
What Do I Do If I Find a Stray Animal?
The Sacramento SPCA is encouraging community members to follow these Found
Animal Tips to help healthy stray animals find their way home; including
checking the animal for an ID tag and microchip (which can be scanned at a
vet's office, shelter or pet store), asking around the neighborhood, making
flyers or posting online in local lost and found groups or on neighborhood
specific social media platforms.
For sick or injured animals found in Sacramento City, residents should call
311 and in Sacramento County, call 916-875-5000.
"It's been long thought that bringing animals to shelters was the best way
to help them, but we now realize that most of the time, they can be easily
reunited with their family by staying near where they were found,' said
Altine. "That leaves the shelter with room for the animals who really do
need our help - those whose owners can no longer keep them or animals that
are sick or injured."
The Sacramento SPCA is the only shelter in the region offering pet owners a
place to take their beloved animals when they have nowhere else to turn;
regardless of age, breed, health condition or behavior. Though the
Sacramento SPCA had to adapt their services due to the COVID-19 health
crisis, they have continued to say yes to the animals and have expanded
public access to their lifesaving programs by offering appointment-based
services.
Founded in 1892, the Sacramento SPCA has been providing homeless animals
with individual comfort, shelter, and love for more than 128 years. They
provide compassionate medical care to tens of thousands of animals annually
and offer a variety of programs and services designed to keep people and
pets together for life.
