ROANOKE, Va. – Every year, fireworks set off a wave of frightened pets running away, but local shelters say the problem extends well beyond the Fourth of July.
At the Regional Center for Animal Care and Protection (RCACP), staff say they took in 20 stray dogs on Independence Day, with most reunited with their owners by the next day. Still, they warn this is just the start of what some call the summer spike.
“It’s not only just strays, it’s owner surrenders. Summertime is really big because the kids are at home, they aren’t necessarily being as watchful keeping the door shut,” said Melinda Rector, director of operations at RCACP.
According to PetRadar, missing pet reports nearly double in summer compared to colder months. Experts say the risk increases with storms, vacations, and routine changes—factors that can startle even the calmest pets into bolting.
Rector added, “Its the tip of the iceberg in July. Our shelter will be full from July, August, September, and October and then we will finally, hopefully start slacking off in November so it’s really a lot of work. There are a lot of animals that come into the building so you will be seeing facebook posts from us saying ‘hey the stray rooms are full please come get your animals.’”
To help reunite lost pets, the Roanoke Valley SPCA offers a lost pet action plan:
- Call local shelters, vets and animal control within 20+ miles
- Update your pet’s microchip information
- Search your home and yard—15% of pets never actually leave the property
- Leave out familiar items and food to lure them back
- Post flyers and share online on Facebook, Craigslist and neighborhood pages
- Use Petco Love Lost, a free tool with facial recognition for pets
- Visit shelters in person, not just online
Petco Love Lost partners with thousands of shelters, rescues and municipal organizations nationwide, including many in the region, to help reunite lost pets with their families. When a shelter joins the platform, pets they take in are automatically added to the national database. Uploading a photo of a lost pet allows the system to instantly compare it to animals at nearby shelters.
Julie Rickmond, marketing and communications director at RVSPCA, said, “Essentially you can put a photo in of your lost pet and hopefully then if someone finds your pet and pops your picture on there it can identify and recognize that that pet might be yours, so you’d be contacted. It’s really quite amazing how they do this.”
RCACP stresses that prevention is key. Microchips, ID tags and acting quickly can mean the difference between a quick reunion and weeks in a shelter.
With summer just getting started, shelters are urging pet owners to be proactive before their pets become part of the summer spike.