South Florida animal shelters at capacity after July 4th fireworks send scared dogs running
MIAMI – It's the day after July 4th and the kennels at Miami-Dade and Broward Counties filled with pets – some may have run away because of fireworks.
"The community shelter is at capacity we're having to get really creative with the pets that we have in our custody right now," Miami-Dade Animal Services Public Affairs Director Flora Beal told CBS4.
For the time being, a meeting room has been turned into an overflow space at the adoption center in Doral.
"So, we normally see an increase in the summer months, but there's a spike during July 4th, right around that holiday," she explained.
That spike typically doubles the pets they usually have. For the holiday period, July 1-5, 105 pets were taken in. Over in Broward, fireworks also scared a lot of dogs away as well. July 2-5, they took in 51 pets. Now both shelters are pleading for foster parents, more people to adopt, and help.
"We encourage the community to be part of the solution and research shows if a pet is kept in the neighborhood where it is found it has a very high likelihood of being unified with its family, so we're always encouraging the community, we will give you the leashes the harness the crates, food anything you need to be able to take care of that dog," Beal added.
Chipping helps to reunite pets with owners, but even chipped pets only have about a week to be picked up, otherwise they are available for adoption.