The door of Louisville Metro Animal Shelter (or LMAS) swings open with a creak, and a small black and white blurb squeezes through the crack and plops on the cool concrete floor.
This is a usual occurrence for the shelter, a no-kill option for abandoned or stray pets in the Louisville area, but this pup’s journey will not be like most.
During the month of June and especially the stretch right before and after the Fourth of July, many healthy animals must be turned down from rescues or exported to the pound to accommodate the influx of animals that enter shelters after the Fourth of July. Due to the celebration season for the Fourth of July seemingly getting longer every year, it leaves a bigger window of loud fireworks, bright lights and hot ash and residue that can be extremely dangerous for both strays and house pets, specifically dogs.
My own dog Cookie was a stray who ran to LMAS for shelter in the days after July Fourth after being scared by fireworks. This year, however, her former shelter hit capacity the week leading up to the fourth, leaving the organization desperate to have pets adopted to not to have to turn away animals displaced during the Fourth holiday.
Without the open doors of rescues, these animals could continue living on the street or be collected for euthanization when many of these pets have homes to return to.
As summer comes to a close this year, remember to be mindful of the effects your future celebrations may have on those around you, especially our furry friends. And, if you are looking to add a new pawed member to your family, adopt, don’t shop.
