Local shelters see spike in stray animal impounds over Fourth of July weekend

While they’re fun for humans to watch, fireworks can be a nightmare for your pets.

Last Fourth of July weekend, Riverside County Animal Services collected nearly 200 stray pets

Sixty animals were found dead.

In total, the shelter took in a whopping 242 animals last year, both alive and dead .

There’s a simple solution: Make sure your pets are safe this holiday weekend by keeping them indoors.

“They’re very, very fearful of those explosions, and they will escape from your property if they’re not properly confined. The best thing to do on Fourth of July is to keep your animals inside in a secure, quiet place,” said Sgt. Miguel Hernandez of Riverside County Animal Services.

Officials said that while it’s tempting to want to bring your dog to festivities on the Fourth, the loud noises are extremely stressful for all pets and should be avoided as much as possible.

This holiday weekend is a good time to make sure your pets are microchipped and that the number associated with it is up to date.

That way if your pet does escape, it will be much easier to be reunited.