Smith County Animal Control offers tips on keeping pets safe during New Years

TYLER, Texas — Many like to bring the New Year in with a bang, but the four legged friends in the community often do not feel the same way. 

“It’s similar to what a child would hear real loud, boom sound, so it sounds almost like a gunshot. So some dogs don’t have that tactic to know what that is, so they run. So any kind of noise is a real thing that sets them off, and if they’ve never heard it before, so they’re unsure with what it is,” Smith County Animal Shelter worker Angel Reynolds said.

Dogs getting off leash is not uncommon on New Years, and the shelter asks pet owners to take the proper steps in making sure they are found safe.

“We do ask owners to always make sure your animals are microchipped, getting your dogs microchip,” Reynolds said. “If they happen to get out when the fireworks go off, and we were to pick them up, or a rescue picks them up, we can scan them and return them to their owners.”

It is an especially important dogs are kept with their owners at this time of the year, because the shelter is currently operating at capacity, and cannot take in more strays. 

“It’s really important for us to push the dogs out that we have in our shelter, to rescues and adopters to help us get them into homes.” Reynolds said. “Right now, unfortunately, we are having to make the decision with every call that we’re getting in, three dogs are coming out with one dog that leaves. So we’re just really asking that our adopters and rescues help us get dogs moved out of our shelters so we can, you know, get more in.”

All dogs, even those microchipped, are recommended to be leashed and close to owners during celebrations. 

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