All the fireworks around the Fourth of July tend to scare dogs into running off.
That means the next day, July 5, tends to be one of the highest intake days for shelters nationally and locally.
The Humane Society of Central Texas Associate Executive Director April Plemons said they will have patrols out looking for runaways on Independence Day.
While you can try to prevent that by taking your pet indoors, they said sometimes that doesn't even help.
So, they said if your dog does go missing during the fireworks, make sure to check your local shelter.
"Whenever people turn in the strays that they find and then the owners never reclaim them, that's really the big problem," Plemons said. "Adoptions are great. Intake is high but we're able to stay on top of it, but yeah if people could just come in and reclaim their pet, that would be a big help."
Plemons said in June the shelter had the highest number of intakes since June of 2015.
Back then, she said they had 360 animals come in and last month they had more than 500.
You might be wondering why fireworks scare and stress your dog. There are several reasons according to Purina's website.
The sounds are more intense for your dog because they're more sensitive to sound and smell.
Your dog gets the same feelings as you when you're surprised by a loud noise. That means their heart rate increases and stress hormones release.
Fireworks aren't the same as thunderstorms because they don't come with warning signs like barometric pressure and wind changes.
If you'd like to prevent any nervousness during the show, Purina's website said you can introduce your dog to loud noises early to desensitize them, put them in a calming wrap like a thunder shirt, or you can put them in their safe space.
Copyright 2017 KXXV. All rights reserved.
