December 03, 2009

(PHOENIX) – A festive celebration is a great way to welcome in the New Year, but it can put your pet in a world of panic. With fireworks exploding, loud celebrations with neighbors and friends, pots and pans banging, and even illegal gunfire, the air is filled with thundering noises that are frightening to pets. In fact, more pets run away from home and get lost on New Year’s Eve than any other night of the year. This year the Arizona Humane Society encourages owners to take precautions and S.A.V.E. their animal companions

Secure pets indoors. To help your pet escape the sights and sounds of New Year’s Eve festivities, keep your pet confined in a room with food, water, a cozy blanket and toy. If possible, select a room with no windows which will really make your pet feel comfortable. The fact is that even the mellowest pets can panic on New Year’s Eve and try to escape the yard if left outside. So play it safe and keep them indoors.

Always make sure pets have current identification. The experts at AHS recommend a collar and I.D. tag, complimented by a microchip. At the very least, write your telephone number on your pet’s collar (print clearly and use non-toxic permanent marker). Be sure the contact information on your pet’s tags is current. At the AHS alone, thousands of lost pets are united with their families because they don’t have I.D. - or the I.D. that they have is not current.

Visit the Arizona Humane Society's Second Chance Animal Hospital™ (located at the Sunnyslope Facility) and both Maricopa County Animal Care and Control shelters if your pet gets lost. The AHS Sunnyslope Facility is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 9226 North 13th Avenue in Phoenix. For information, call 602.997.7585 or visit www.azhumane.org. For more information about the county shelters, call 602.506.PETS.

Everyone needs to know that your pet is missing! It is critical that you alert everyone around you that your pet is missing. Tell you family, friends and neighbors to look out for your pet. Ask business owners if you can post a “lost pet” sign on their premises. Running a “lost pet” ad in the newspaper is always helpful. Also file a “Lost” or “Found” pet report with www.pets911.com in case someone picks up your pet and is looking for its owner. Alert “Missing Mutts, Cats Etc.,” at 480.898.8914.The more eyes looking for your lost pet, the better!

If you see an animal in distress on New Year’s Eve, please call for an AHS Emergency Animal Medical Technician™ (EAMT™) and 602.997.7585 ext. 2073. Our specially trained EAMTs function as pet paramedics and can provide emergency medical care in the field. EAMTs also provide technical rescue assistanc, and investigate suspected cases of animal cruelty. EAMTs are on duty 365 days of the year from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.