Maricopa County Animal Care and Control took in 233 lost dogs over the July 4 holiday weekend, typically a period when scared dogs end up on the streets after trying to flee the perceived threat posed by noisy fireworks.
Agency spokeswoman Kim Powell said about 55 of the pets received from July 3-7 were turned into the county’s new East animal shelter at 1920 S. Lewis in Mesa, which began animal intake last month.
She said some 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. More dogs are usually found in Phoenix or the West Valley, with a majority coming from zip code 85009 (which includes the West shelter) or Buckeye.
As of July 9, only 18 had gone home with their owners, she added.
“This goes to show the importance of making sure your pet is wearing a collar with an ID tag and/or a microchip,” Powell said.
The county-wide numbers for that same five-day period have been trending downward for the past three years, with 336 arriving in 2021 and 242 turned in during the 2023 weekend.
A “managed intake” process began in August 2022.
“This means we are asking people to make an appointment to turn in a lost pet,” Powell said. “For this year’s 4th of July, we blocked off appointments so that we would be prepared for walk-ins.
“Many community members are very understanding of our capacity and are okay with holding on to a dog for a few days while they wait for an appointment—and sometimes they end up finding the owners for us.”
The total number of dogs kept at both locations has hovered around 850 since the holiday during a period of low adoption activity, possibly due to families being on vacation, Powell said.
Owners of lost dogs at any time of year can look for them at either shelter location or call 602-506-7387, along with checking other community shelters and apps. They can submit a lost pet report and check a lost pet map at maricopa.gov/162/Lost-Found-Pet.
All found animals are kept on hold for a minimum of 72 hours before being put up for adoption, and that is extended to five days for those with some form of identification.
The county advises pet owners to make sure their pets are wearing an ID tag or have a microchip with current contact information and to keep them indoors when they could hear fireworks, thunder or other alarming noises that could trigger a “fight or flight” response.
Finding them a cozy, quiet spot with a blanket and some favorite toys could help calm them, and you can try soothing music or a white noise machine to relax them further.
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