Frightened By Fireworks, Lost Pets Spike After Fourth Of July

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, NY — Cats and canines alike are often spooked by celebratory fireworks on July 4, which can make July 5 the busiest day of the year for animal shelters.

On July 5, the SPCA of Westchester received four strays.

"We presume because they bolted from fireworks," said Lisa Bonanno-Spence. "And we had a handful of phone calls of people reporting their animals who are now lost for the same reason!"

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When frightened by the booms, the best-behaved dog may escape their yard or even escape through windows and sliding glass doors, according to the experts at By S.R. Dog Training, LLC in Somers.

They recommend microchips, but remind owners to always have the dog wear a properly fitted collar with dog tags with contact information. Because, they pointed out, "if your dog goes missing, they still need to be tracked down and caught, before the microchip can be scanned. This is MUCH easier said than done."

If you've lost or found a pet, here are some places to call:

• SPCA of Westchester, 914-941-2896;
• Humane Society of Westchester at 914.632.2925;
• Hi Tor Animal Shelter in Rockland at (845) 354 - 7900;
• Putnam Humane Society at (845) 225-7852;
• Dutchess County SPCA at (845) 452-7722;
• Hudson Valley SPCA at (845) 564-6810.

Also, Lost Pets of the Hudson Valley posts photos and updates on Facebook.

J.R. Lind (Patch Staff) contributed to this report.