During fireworks-oriented holidays like the Fourth of July and the New Year, pets often experience increased stress and anxiety that lead to runaways.
“During holidays where there is a lot of environmental disturbance, pets tend to go missing more,” Animal Care Services Director Staycee Dains said.
In the summer months, intakes for found, returned and stray pets increase, according to data from Animal Care Services (LBACS).
LBACS had a total of 131 intakes from July 1 to July 10, 2019. Last year, they had a total of 85 intakes, a decrease likely due to reduced holiday festivities during the pandemic. Of these, a little more than half were cats.
Dains said the increase in found pets is more pronounced before and after the Fourth of July, with a “steady increase” beginning at the end of June and lasting a few days after July 4.
She said the increase is due to a combination of factors, including people going to and from their homes more often, which can disrupt pets’ routines and also also increase the likelihood of open doors through which pets can escape. Taking pets to places like parks and beaches, Dains said, further disrupts their routines and can contribute to runaways.
“Then of course, all the fireworks going off is really frightening for most pets, not all pets, but most pets,” she said.
Tips on how to deal with pet runaways before and after they happen
If pets are fearful of loud noises, owners should schedule a visit with their veterinarian, who may be able to provide medication for pets that suffer from severe anxiety.
Owners should also make sure their pet has been implanted with a microchip with the owner’s most up-to-date contact information. In addition, their tags should include up-to-date contact information.
“That’s critical,” Dains said. “That is the number one way that pets go home when they’re lost, if they’re wearing an actual tag with an owner’s phone number on it. I cannot tell you how many times people put a tag on their pet and it just has the pet’s name.”
If a pet has already run away, “The first thing you should do is take to social media,” Dains said.
She suggested joining the Lakewood and Long Beach Lost and Found Pets Facebook group, which has over 25,000 members. Residents can also post missing pet information on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor.
Residents can also check the LBACS website, which is updated hourly, 24 hours a day. When LBACS receives a lost pet, that animal is documented and uploaded to their system within the hour, Dains said.
"Over 50% of households have animals. So if you imagine half, one of every two households you pass by, has a family member who is terrified of what's going on outside, I hope that would help people reconsider [using fireworks]."
—Animal Care Services Director Staycee Dains
She said that most pets are returned to their owners within a few days, either through LBACS or by neighbors who located the pets.
“Over 50% of households have animals,” she said. “So if you imagine half, one of every two houses you pass by, has a family member who is terrified about what’s going on outside, I hope that would help people reconsider [using fireworks]."
Penalties for lighting fireworks in Long Beach can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Residents can report illegal firework use to the Long Beach city prosecutor's office.
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