Lost — Or Found — A Pet Amid July 4 Fireworks? Here's What To Do

SEATTLE, WA — Now that the big July 4 fireworks displays are over, the sad ritual of tracking down dogs and cats who ran away during those shows begins.

The days around July 4 are typically the busiest for local animal shelters. Last year, the Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) shelter in Kent took more than 70 strays the week of July 1 to July 7, plus got another 49 missing pet reports online.

Since the beginning of this week, the RASKC shelter in Kent has taken 52 stray pets, and has had another 60 pets reported lost through the RASKC website. Those numbers are likely to go up, RASKC spokesman Cameron Satterfield said, as pets continue to flee sporadic fireworks displays over the weekend.

If you lost a pet — or found one wandering in your neighborhood — there are some good local resources to get your dog or cat home.

One of the best resources is the Facebook Lost Dogs of King County. The group shares photos and locations of found or missing pets. The groups Tacoma Lost Pets and Lost and Found Dogs Of Snoqualmie Valley are also good resources.

The King County page was full of stories about lost dogs as of Friday morning, including some posts about dogs who bolted during fireworks.

"Our sweet long-haired dachshund went missing on July 4th around 7 p.m. Her name is Mindy. She has a collar on and is chipped. Last saw her in West Lake Sammamish Parkway in the Bellevue area about a half mile north of the Little Store. She might be scared if you approach her, but she is a very nice dog. We are devastated," wrote one owner.

If you live in King County, RASKC will likely be your go-to spot for finding or returning pets. The RASKC website provides step-by-step instructions on what to do if you lost or found a pet. RASKC contracts with 24 local cities, according to Satterfield, but cities like Federal Way, Burien, and Seattle have different animal rescue providers.

In Seattle, the Seattle Animal Shelter keeps track of lost pets found within the city limits. The shelter is open from 1 to 6 p.m. July 5 to July 7 (and 2 to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday) for owners to call about lost pets.

On the positive side, Satterfield said that RASKC has been able to reunite over a dozen pets with their owners this week. Five of those were able to be done over the phone because a pet had a microchip or up-to-date license.