Local animal shelters bracing for influx of pets following New Year’s Eve celebrations

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – While New Year’s Eve celebrations last just a few hours, the work for pet shelters is just getting started.

Several animal rescue shelters are preparing to take in animals who may run away from their homes after being frightened by the fireworks or gunfire.

Loud noises can bring stress and anxiety to pets, especially at this time of year, which may prompt them to run away.

Breana Mendez has four dogs, and she’ll be ringing in the New Year with her husband and pets at home, since some of her puppies are scared.

“The worst one is Duke,” Mendez said. “He has hyperventilation, and panic attacks and he tries to squeeze through little tiny holes in the fence. I mean he could be a runner if he could get out of here.”

Just like Breana, Tom Horvath got his dogs, Tucson and Yuma, microchipped at the Pima Animal Care Center on Tuesday.

“It’s very easy for your animals to get away from you,” Horvath said. “Nobody wants to lose their pets, and if anything ever happened to them, we’d be heartbroken without our puppies.”

But pet owners are not the only ones getting ready for the new year.

Shelters like the Pima County Animal Center and Humane Society of Southern Arizona are prepared for the influx of pets who may run away after hearing the fireworks.

HSSA told 13 News there was a 20% uptick in animals that were sent to the shelter after New Year’s.

“It’s crucial at this time of year that your pet is always feeling safe and also identification on your pet,” Michelle Figueroa from HSSA said.

For PACC, more than 300 pets went into its care the week following New Year’s.

Once an animal gets into PACC’s custody, they will put the pet’s information online on the PACC website and on the Petco Love Lost website and they hope their owner comes forward.

If the pet is not picked up within three to five days, it will be up for adoption.

“As of today, we have 500 dogs in our shelter already,” said PACC spokeswoman Kayleigh Murdock. “We’re really hoping to get as many pets back home as quickly as possible and that they won’t be lost in the first place, so they don’t have to necessarily end up here.”

If you haven’t gotten your pet microchipped, you can register your pet at the Petco Love Lost website so it can be easier to find them.

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