SD Humane Society Waives Reclaim Fees For Strays After July 4 Holiday

SAN DIEGO, CA — In anticipation of lost animals after the Fourth of July, San Diego Humane Society will waive reclaim fees for stray pets. Fees will be waived from July 5 through July 16.

The nonprofit organization will also extend its "Empty the Shelters" adoption promotion with adoption fees half off for all adult cats and dogs 7 months and older through July 30.

"We are doing everything we can to get these deserving animals into homes," said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society. "If they are lost, we want them to return to their family where they belong. If they are available for adoption, we want to find their perfect match in our animal loving community."

Statistics show one out of every three pets will become lost during their lifetime, and only one in 10 will be found, according to the San Diego Humane Society.

In 2022, the organization took in 275 stray dogs, cats and other small animals lost between July 4 and 7. Just 16 percent of those pets were reclaimed by owners, officials said.

Community members who find a stray pet over the holiday should look for identification on the animal's collar, contact the owner, if possible, and post photos and a description on social media, according to the San Diego Humane Society. The organization's Lost2Found program can be accessed by texting "LOST" to 858-726- 5678.

The San Diego Humane Society is open for walk-in adoptions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at its campuses in El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego.