Lost pet tips during firework season
What would you do if you lost or found a pet during the July 24 celebrations?
The Humane Society of Utah Adoptions and Foster Departments will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Clinic will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, July 2
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, in observance of Pioneer Day.
With the extended period of allowable firework activity July 21-27 in celebration of Utah Pioneer Day, the Humane Society of Utah urges pet owners to get their pet microchipped, ensure they are wearing current identification tags, and keep their pet safely indoors. Pets may try to escape the loud noise, the smell of sulfur and bright lights from fireworks which may lead to injury or loss.
If your pet goes missing, the following tips are important to keep in mind:
· Visit your local animal control services first. Walk through animal shelters in person since it may be difficult to describe your pet over the phone. Animal control services will hold a stray animal for five working days before allowing it to be adopted by a new owner.
· Post a lost pet flyer with a color photo of your pet in local vet offices, grooming shops, pet stores, animal shelters and other public places in the area where the pet was lost.
· Visit the Humane Society of Utah Receiving Department to complete a lost pet profile, post your flyer and check our Stray Book. Keep visiting HSU, local animal control services, and veterinary clinics in person each day.
· Search online stray listings such as Petharbor.com, Petamberalert.com, KSL.com or Utah Lost and Found Pets Facebook group.
If you find a lost pet:
· Check for identification tags and contact the owner.
· If there is no identification tag or owner information, call your local animal control services or bring the pet to them as soon as possible. If animal control services are closed and you cannot care for the animal until they are open, some emergency veterinary clinics will scan the animal for a microchip ID to find owner contact information.
· Do not keep a stray pet for longer than 24 hours and try to locate the owner yourself. Pet owners will try to locate their pet at their local animal control agency and may miss online postings. It is illegal to harbor a stray animal longer than 24 business hours. Some animal control services will no longer consider the animal a stray if someone has been caring for it three days or longer.
· Post details of the animal on lost pet sites as listed above. Include location, date and time found, pet’s physical description and the name of local animal control services location where you bring the animal.
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About the Humane Society of Utah
The Humane Society of Utah (HSU) is dedicated to the elimination of pain, fear and suffering in all animals. Since 1960, the HSU has been sheltering abandoned animals, fighting cruelty and neglect, and creating an environment of respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals across the state. As an open-admissions shelter, the doors are always open for any animal we can legally accept. The HSU is a member of the No-Kill Utah Coalition and works hard to ensure that every healthy and treatable pet that enters the facility will be placed into a loving home. In 2015, 11,318 pets received positive outcomes and we achieved no-kill statistics for both cats and dogs for the first time – a milestone in 55 years. The Humane Society of Utah is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization that does not receive any tax dollars or government funding and is not a branch of any national organization. We are solely funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations in our community. Read more about the HSU online at utahhumane.org.
