July 5 is the busiest day for shelters across the country. Intake of pets spooked by the loud noises of fireworks, both from legal displays and set off in neighborhoods, increases sharply. The shelters have to muster all forces to deal with the number of animals either found wandering or lying dead in the streets, not to mention the distressed people who pace shelter parking lots until they open, hoping to find their lost cat or dog inside.
The July 1 Scratching Post article listed ways to protect your pets from escaping or otherwise reacting to the loud noises as well as resources to help locate them if they do escape. On Sunday, July 2, when pets were already being reported lost or escaping, the volunteers from the Animal Resource Team (ART) were in front of Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) to help people locate their pets or find the owners of cats and dogs brought to the shelter and also to educate them on how to prevent the pet from running off again. In the few hours they were there, they reunited one dog with his owner and found temporary fosters for five others. At this writing, they’re still working at getting pets and owners back together.
ART volunteers Faye Costigane and Jamie Kostialik welcome a dog brought in on July 1. The dog’s rescuer, who identified himself as Aaron, found the little guy running loose in Cerritos East Park area near Carmenita Road and East 166th Street. Photo by Kate Karp.
If you have lost a pet, the team will be at ACS again Tuesday from 10:00AM. The shelter is closed to the public Mondays and Tuesdays, but let the person at the gatehouse know that you’re going to meet the ART team in front of the shelter. The shelter is located at 7700 East Spring Street in Long Beach at the entrance to El Dorado Park. Parking is free for shelter guests.
If you believe that your pet may be one of the animals being fostered or taken to the shelter, contact ACS at 562.570.PETS or Live Love Pet Care & Animal Rescue at 213.282.7297. Meanwhile, here are a few other resources:
ACS’s Lost and Found page has information on missing pets and a real-time Twitter handle, @LBLostandFoundPets.
Several Facebook pages are dedicated to reuniting lost animals with their people. Some local ones are:
- Long Beach/562 Lost and Found Pets
- Lakewood and Long Beach Lost and Found Pets
- Lost and Found Paws in Los Angeles Metro Area (This resource was founded by a remarkable individual named Helen Trimble—more about her in a future article)
- 911LostPetRescue.com is a volunteer service that works hard to find lost neighborhood pets. It was created by yet another dedicated person, Larry Gorman; he, too, will be featured in a future article.
Please list any other resources you may know of. Hope your holiday is happy and safe for you and your pet.
“Americans who do not celebrate Independence Day: Pets.”
~Demetri Martin, comedian