The 5th of July is one of the busiest days for animal shelters across the country as shelter workers try to reunite dogs spooked by July 4th fireworks with their owners.
The Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelter in Santa Maria has taken in 38 stray dogs in the last five days. So far, 11 of those dogs have been reunited with their families.
In the past 24 hours, 13 dogs were reported missing in the Santa Maria area
Shelter workers say the dogs are visibly stressed, many of them still shaking with fear or injured after running away from loud noises and fireworks.
"If you’ve lost a pet, don’t give up. It may take a few days before the animals settle down enough to come out of wherever they are hiding and make their way into the shelter or even back home sometimes," said Stacy Silva, Santa Barbara County Animal Services Community Outreach Coordinator.
People with lost pets in the Santa Maria area may call Animal Services at (805) 934-6119. In Lompoc, call (805) 737-7755. In the Santa Barbara area, call (805) 681-5285.
To contact San Luis Obispo County Animal Services, call (805) 781-4400.
