County Seeks to Reunite Dogs Lost on Fourth of July With Owners

San Diego County, CA — The Fourth of July is typically one of the busiest times of the year for the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services, and this year was no different.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, 59 dogs had been brought into the shelters and more are still expected to arrive, officials said. Last year, 67 dogs came in the first few days after the Fourth of July.

"While it’s impossible to say exactly what drove each dog loose, they are known to panic at the noise and run off to escape," county officials said.

Like last year, animal control officers worked the entire night to rescue lost dogs. The officers serve the County’s unincorporated areas and the six contract cities of San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Santee.

Since then, officials say, only a handful of the dogs have been reunited with their owners. One shepherd mix is recovering from injuries after being hit by a car in the 1200 block of Euclid.

“If you’ve lost your pet, check the Animal Services lost and found web page,” said County Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. “We post photos of animals as soon as each animal is kenneled at the shelter.”

Residents can also register their lost dog with Finding Rover, a free facial recognition app used by the public and County Animal Services.

Officials also suggested posting “lost dog” signs in their neighborhood, since someone may be holding the dog to see if anyone puts up fliers.

Those who find a lost dog were advised to keep it safe by trying to contain it on their property, then call 619- 767-2675 and an officer will be sent out to pick up the animal.

If the dog doesn’t have any identification and isn’t picked up in three business days, he will become available for adoption. If he does have ID, Animal Services will contact the owners. If the pet isn’t picked up by July 12, then he’ll become available for adoption the following day.

For those who'd like to microchip their dog, County Animal Services offers microchipping from 1 to 3 p.m. every Thursday at all three of its locations. The chips cost $10 each and include national registration.

(Photo courtesy of County of San Diego)