LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The legendary 4th of July fireworks shows in Las Vegas are fun to watch but can be a nightmare for your pets.
The loud noises can scare your animals and cause them to run away and go missing.
“I was definitely freaking out," said Gerardo Hernandez, who was reunited with his pet at the Animal Foundation.
Hernandez said it happened to him.
He went to celebrate America's birthday with family, but when he returned home, his dog Bently was nowhere to be found.
“He had access to go inside and outside the house, and I think he got a little too scared with the sounds of the fireworks. We had some neighbors popping some fireworks pretty close by, so I think that’s what scared him off and he freaked out and ran away," Hernandez said.
As soon as Hernandez found out that his furry companion was not home, he quickly went door to door asking his neighbors to see if they might have seen Bently around.
"We were asking around seeing if they saw anything or heard anything. There's a web page for our area and someone posted that they picked up Bentley and turned him back in to the Animal Foundation," Hernandez said.
He said that Bently was not microchipped and was relived to learned that he was in at the shelter.
"I'm thankful to have him back. He's my best friend, I mean, we grew up together," Hernandez said.
The Animal Foundation said that the 4th of July is one of the busiest times of the year for them.
According to the organization, from July 1-4, 2023, they took in 273 animals (140 of those were lost pets).
This year, that number was even higher. From July 1-4, 2024, they took in 281 animals (204 of those were lost pets).
On July 5, the animal foundation said 140 animals were taken in, and 84 were lost pets.
"20% are reunited," said "Kelsey Pizzi with the Animal Foundation. "Most will head to adoption."
She said the Animal Foundation brought in additional staff to help speed up the process and also set up a support hotline to help answer any questions people might have. That number is 702-955-5932.
"The goal is to reunite as many pets with their families as we can," Pizzi said.
She said if someone finds a pet, they should try to find the owner, as chances are the dog isn't far from home.
She said that posting lost dogs on social media can also help families get reunited with their furry friends.
The Animal Foundation will be waiving reclamation fees from now to Wednesday, July 10.
