If your pet is afraid of fireworks, you’re not alone. July 4 is consistently one of the busiest times for lost pets, with frightened animals escaping homes and ending up lost.
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With local shelters already under strain, LifeLine Animal Project is asking pet owners to take extra precautions this Independence Day.
LifeLine’s Fulton and DeKalb County shelters have seen a sharp increase in animals coming through their doors. In the last year, the number of cats brought in jumped nearly 58%, while dog surrenders at Fulton County Animal Services rose almost 48%. Housing instability and financial hardship remain leading reasons families surrender their pets.
“Our shelters are already operating under tremendous pressure,” said Timyka “Tiki” Artist, spokesperson for LifeLine Animal Project. “Every pet that stays safely at home this holiday weekend helps preserve valuable shelter space for animals that truly have nowhere else to go.”
To create more space, LifeLine is offering $50 pet adoptions throughout July. The fee includes spay/neuter surgery, microchipping and vaccinations, typically valued at about $250.
The organization is also encouraging residents who find a lost pet to become “Friendly Finders.” Instead of immediately taking an animal to a shelter, people can safely care for the pet while checking for a microchip, searching the neighborhood and posting on social media to help reunite it with its owner.
To protect pets during fireworks, LifeLine recommends:
- Keep pets indoors before fireworks begin.
- Set up a quiet, secure room away from loud noises.
- Make sure pets wear collars with current ID tags.
- Confirm microchip registration includes up-to-date contact information.
Pet owners and finders can also use Petco Love Lost, a free AI-powered facial recognition database that helps reunite lost pets with their families.
More information about July adoptions, lost pet resources and adoptable animals is available at LifeLineAnimal.org.
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