As New Year's Eve approaches, pet owners are being asked to closely watch their four-legged friends to avoid a post-holiday headache. Riverside County Animal Services issued a warning that pets can easily get spooked by the commotion of celebrations, potentially ending up in shelters rather than cozying up at home when the clock strikes midnight.
Erin Gettis, director of the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, spoke to the importance of readiness in a statement obtained by Riverside County News Release: "Now is a good time to shore up gates and fences where pets can easily make a quick escape." She underscored that the blare of fireworks and party horns, akin to the Fourth of July hullabaloo, can send pets into a panic, possibly leading them to run off.
To keep these furry friends safe, Gettis put forward a handful of tips. Among them were securing homes and yards to prevent escapes and ensuring that pets were tagged with collar IDs. Emphasizing modern technology solutions. She recommended owners microchip their pets and register them in the Petco Love Lost portal, a database employing image-recognition technology to reunite lost pets with their owners. This free service promoted through Riverside County Animal Services could quickly become a lifeline for distraught pet parents and their wandering companions.
"Awareness and preparation make a difference," Gettis added, expressing her wish for pets to remain with their families, not in the crowded confines of shelters. More information, as well as preventive measures, can be found on the official Riverside County website.
