The Dogs and Cats are barking & purring their approval.

Los Angeles, July 6, 2016 – Every year around the Fourth of July, animal shelters fill to capacity with lost pets spooked by the loud sounds of fireworks. During this challenging time, available shelter space can be the life-saving difference.

In just four days, with the help of adopters, volunteers, staff, community partners and adoption partners, the shelters were able to place over 700 dogs and cats from our six City shelters to create the critical space needed. 421 of these dogs and cats were adopted into homes of their own – an increase over 240 adoptions last year.

Thank YOU Los Angeles animal lovers. With your amazing help, we were able to create the life-saving space for 667 dogs and cats who came into the City shelters over the holiday weekend. Besides adoptions, 161 dogs and cats were placed into temporary foster homes giving them a break from the shelter environment and home care that does so much to help prepare them for a future good home.

The dogs and cats are especially grateful for reduced adoption fees for dogs, puppies and kittens subsidized by Best Friends Animal Society and the 100% underwritten adoption fees for cats over 4 months courtesy of a generous ASPCA grant.

Brenda Barnette, LA Animal Services General Manager said, “Our East Valley Shelter staff and volunteers came up with this excellent idea to recruit temporary foster volunteers, which was a huge success last year. We wanted to bring this life-saving campaign to all six shelters this year.”

The immediate next step for the influx of animals at the shelters is to reunite them with their families. If you lost your pet, here are some tips to help you find your four legged companion:

  • Visit the closest shelter and neighborhood emergency clinics.
  • Post pictures and posters in the area where you last saw your pet and offer a reward.
  • Walk your neighborhood (or area lost) and talk to people. Sometimes people take strays in not realizing that they need to go the shelter so you can find them.
  • Don’t give up.

LA Animal Services holds animals for five days not counting weekends before making them available for adoption. Stray pets are checked for microchips, license tags and name tags. Photos of incoming animals are posted online at: LAAnimalServices.com/shelter-search-lost-pet.

The LA Animal Services shelters are open Tuesday through Saturday from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. To find the shelter closest to you, visit: LAAnimalServices.com/shelters or call (888) 452-7381.