Fireworks contribute to animal shelters' busy summers

Fireworks displays can be enjoyable for people, but many times they startle pets, which may lead to pet displacement within a community. This year, the situation has grown into somewhat of an issue for local animal shelters.

Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary director Montica Babers said she has "had tons of calls" since fireworks sales began late June.

"At least 20 stray dog calls a day since the end of last month when the season started," Babers said. "And about 10 a day with people reporting lost dogs, several cats as well. We have been at full capacity so long we were unable to take any strays."

She said the shelter's capacity is nearly 15 dogs -- which includes fosters -- and around 60 cats.

Babers said nearing capacity is a huge issue every year during fireworks sales, usually until July 9.

Humane Society of Southeast Missouri development director Jennifer Sokolowski said this year's fireworks displays "did have an impact" on the shelter's population. It also resulted in an increase in calls, in reference to lost pets.

"There have been people that have called in and said, 'I can't find my animal; it happened around the Fourth of July,'" she said. "It definitely causes issues for those poor little animals. They seem to get frightened by it."

The shelter typically processes more than 3,000 animals a year, she said, and acquired 95 animals between July 1 and July 9.

"I think it was within two or three days, we had 65 that came through our facility," she said. 'Summertime is always a busy time for us. The cats repopulate, the animals with the fireworks; it's just a combination of it all; it's not just fireworks. It's the combination of the time of the year and not spaying and neutering."

Sokolowski recommends those who are concerned with the ever-growing pet population to look into "stray programs," which offer a reduced cost of a spay or neuter procedure to be administered to stray or feral cats.

She said this summer's main focus for the shelter is the "Summer Save Them" campaign, which is an effort to reach 500 animals' lives saved by Aug. 31.

The shelter has exceeded the 300 mark so far, Sokolowski said, but getting the community aware and on board is important to allow the inclusion of cats into their "no-kill" category.

"We give out free spay and neuter vouchers every year, and we just really want to get the community on board to help us," she said.

Humane Society and Safe Harbor are separate organizations, but Sokolowski said they do try to support each other.

Both organizations were part of the "pet expo" several months ago at the Osage Centre, which Sokolowski said all local rescues were invited to participate, to encourage community awareness.

"We adopted 18 animals in that day, which was pretty phenomenal," she said.

Sokolowski also stressed the importance of "micro chipping pets."

"The ones that did come in that were microchipped, they got returned to their family rather quickly," she said. "If they do have a lost animal, the first thing they can do is fill out a lost report at semopets.org."

The website is checked on a daily basis, she said, while stressing the importance if the pet in question is not microchipped. A photo can be attached to the application, which can then be positively matched up to animals in the shelter, she said.

"We keep animals here until they can be placed. There is not a length of time; it's not like three days and they're gone," Sokolowski said. "There is no time limit on the animals. As long as they are in good health and as long as they are not a safety issue, we keep them until we can get them placed."

She said she thinks there is a lot of misconception surrounding the Humane Society's euthanasia timetable, she further explained.

"It's not based on length of stay," Sokolowski said. "We need to get the animals in and out of the shelter as quick as possible."

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632