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Humane Society sees a increase in stray dogs in comparsion to last 4th of July weekend

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)-- According to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, there was a slight increase in lost dogs this Fourth of July compared to last year.

In 2021, there were 83 stray dogs found. Of that number, 60 stray dogs found in Colorado Springs and 23 stray dogs in Pueblo.

This Fourth of July weekend, there have been more than 91 stray dogs found. There have been over 56 dogs found in Colorado Springs and 35 in Pueblo. The humane society said this is their current data, but the numbers could increase even more over the next couple of days if fireworks continue. 

"We always expect that 4th of July weekend is going to be an increase in pets coming in. It's a slightly higher number this year than it was last year, but it's hard to say why that might be, and we're just hopeful that we can reunite the pets that have come in the last few days," the director of communications and marketing, Colette Bradley, said. 

Bradley said every dog reacts differently to loud noises such as fireworks. 

"They may even react differently just because they're out of their comfort zone and their home environment if they have gotten loose and ran away to try and avoid the sound. If you see a stray dog, they won't come to you. They won't approach you. They're going to be looking fearful. Their ears are usually pinned back...kinda have this stare in their eyes. They might growl at you. They might be aggressive just because they're scared," said Collette Bradley.

She also recommends if anyone in the community sees a stray dog on the street, it's best to call Animal Law Enforcement (ALE), a division of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. 

"It's best for everyone's safety. If the dog is not willingly approaching you, certainly don't push it too far because it can also then run out into the street and get hit by a car. There are just a lot of dangerous things out there for a dog, so the best thing you can do is just give us a call and let us know where you saw the dog, and we can do our best to get out there as soon as possible," said Colette Bradley.

Officials at the humane society said if you're missing your pet, it's best not to call the humane society.

"It's easier to take a look at a photo vs. trying to describe that pet...even if you don't see your pet on the website, it's a good idea to come into the shelter. There's a little bit of a delay there in getting the animals up on the website, so we might be able to identify your dog faster if you come into the shelter," said Colette Bradley. 

Bradley said that the fireworks usually continue a couple of days after the 4th of July and recommends all pet owners to use precautions so they don't lose their pets. 

"Especially if that is in your neighborhood close to your house, that's defiantly going to scare your pet the closer the sound is. So keeping your pet with their collar on with their id tag...updating their microchip information, keeping your house as secure as possible, checking on any fences that may have gotten loose, things like that are always really important around this time of year," said Colette Bradley.

Bradley recommends that if you have lost your pet over the holiday weekend, you utilize social media like Facebook groups and next-door. 

Click here for additional resources. 

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Barbara Fox

Barbara is a reporter based out of Pueblo for KRDO NewsChannel 13. Learn more about her here.

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