How to Help Shelters on the 4th of July

For most, the Fourth of July is a day of celebration with friends and family. But for animal shelters, it’s the reason for the largest intake day of their year: July 5th. Fireworks and other loud noises can take a dog that may normally be cool and collected and make them into a stressed escape artist. Animal control officers and good samaritans find a large number of lost dogs after the holiday and bring them to the shelter with the hope of reuniting them with their family.

The sad reality is that many of our shelters are already filled to capacity, so with limited space to handle a massive influx of dogs, some of the dogs currently at the shelter will be euthanized to make room.

We recently transferred in seven amazing dogs from shelters around LA to help alleviate the crowded conditions approaching the holiday, but there are plenty more dogs that need help before the holidays roll around. Read on for how you can help during this busy season.

Adopt
The fastest way to make a difference is by adopting a dog in need from a shelter or rescue. By adopting from a shelter you help create space for the new dogs that will arrive on July 4th or 5th. Adopting from a rescue also helps as it enables the rescue to pull another dog from the shelter. Not only will you save a life, but you’ll gain a wonderful companion for your daily activities, whether you are looking for a hiking buddy, fellow TV critic, sous-chef—and the list goes on.

Foster 
If you aren’t able to permanently add another four-legged member to your family, consider fostering a dog. Even if you are only able to open your home to a foster dog for a short time, those few weeks may make the difference between life and death for a dog during this busy holiday season. You can foster through your local shelter or through a rescue, any of which would be grateful for your help.

Keep Your Pet Out of the Shelter
The easiest way to help reduce shelter overcrowding is to make sure your pets don’t end up there. We all want our pets to be safe and secure at all times, but take special care on the 4th when they are more prone to escape. Make sure your animals are licensed, microchipped, and wearing their tags. Many animals become stressed during fireworks—check out our 4th of July safety tips for how to keep your dog comfortable during the chaos.

Check out the LA Animal Services website to see how to adopt or foster from a city shelter.

And if you’d like to adopt or foster one of our great dogs, check out our available dogs or how to foster.

We hope you and your four-legged family members have a safe and happy 4th of July!