MaAlicopa County Animal Care and Control rescued 233 stray dogs over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, a time when dogs typically end up on the streets after feeling threatened by loud fireworks.
About 55 of the pets taken in from July 3 to 7 were surrendered to the county's new East Animal Shelter at 1920 S. Lewis in Mesa, which began accepting animals last month, said agency spokeswoman Kim Powell.
She said some of the dogs from the East Valley may have been taken to the county's West Shelter, at 2500 S. 27th Ave., because people were unfamiliar with the new location. Typically, more dogs are found in Phoenix or the West Valley, with the majority coming from the 85009 ZIP code (which includes the West Shelter) or Buckeye.
As of July 9, only 18 had been reunited with their owners, she added.
“This shows the importance of having pets wear collars with ID tags and microchips,” Powell said.
The countywide numbers for the same five-day period have trended downward for the past three years, with 336 arrivals in 2021 and 242 surrendered over the 2023 weekend.
The “managed intake” process began in August 2022.
“What this means is we are asking people to make an appointment to surrender their lost pet,” Powell said, “and on the Fourth of July this year, we have blocked out appointment slots for people who want to come without an appointment.”
“Many local residents are well aware of our capabilities and are happy to look after their dogs for a few days while they wait for an appointment, and sometimes they even find an owner for us.”
The total number of dogs housed at both facilities has remained around 850 since the holidays, Powell said, due to slow adoption activity as families were on vacation.
Owners of lost dogs can search for them at the shelter's location year-round, call 602-506-7387, check other area shelters and apps, submit lost pet reports, and check the Lost Pet Map. maricopa.gov/162/Lost-Found-Pet.
All found animals will be held for a minimum of 72 hours before being adopted, which can be extended to five days if they have some sort of identification.
The county advises pet owners to make sure their pets are ID-tagged or microchipped with up-to-date contact information, and to keep them indoors when they hear alarming sounds that may trigger the “fight or flight” response, such as fireworks or thunder.
Finding a cozy, quiet place with a blanket and a favorite toy can help them settle, and you can also try soothing music or a white noise machine to help them relax even more.
