Animal shelter in Monterey County preparing for influx of animal following Fourth of July

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)-As many of us are gearing up for the Fourth of July holiday, local animal shelters are also preparing an influx of animals, in the days after the fireworks.

Animal shelters in Monterey County say many pets typically get out and lost during the festivities leading to worried pet owners.

Monterey residents Maria and Justin Wallgren do whatever they can to keep their three-year-old Golden Doodle, Bo, safe and calm during the fourth.

"He tends to get really nervous when it's, you know, firework season," Maria said.

Sadly, the holiday can typically be scary for our pets and have an impact on our local shelters.

"We likely will be seeing pets come in as strays that have maybe been scared a little bit by the fireworks or by the loud noises and they slip out of their houses," SPCA of Monterey County Content and Education Manager Dawn Fenton said.

Fenton said in the days following the Fourth of July, their shelter expects an increase in the number of pets coming in. It’s a similar story over at Hitchcock Road Animal Services where they’re also worried about capacity issues at their shelter.

“Our dog capacity right now we're at 103%. As of today, and with the Fourth of July holiday approaching, if we get a lot of strays in on the fifth, we will be much over capacity," Hitchcock Road Animal Services Education and Volunteer Coordinator Kendra Brady."

Those working at the shelter are hoping people follow some tips to prevent their pets from getting loose.

“We would ask that you would secure your fences, make sure you go through and see if there's loose boards, and prevent any digging underneath the fence," Brady said.

Additionally, Dawn with SPCA suggests checking with your pet’s vet for medication to calm them.

The SPCA of Monterey County has a list of additional safety tips for your pets on the Fourth of July on their website.