CAPE CORAL, Fla. — It may not seem like much to us but for our pets, an unexpected loud bang can be overwhelming.
Southwest Florida has some exciting firework displays coming up this 4th of July, so that's why the Cape Coral Animal Shelter says it's crucial to make sure your pets are microchipped.
"Animals can get spooked very quickly, and a lot of bad things can happen here, especially in Cape Coral," said Liz McCauley, Cape Coral Animal Shelter executive director.
We are halfway through summer, but ramping up into hurricane and fireworks season.
"Now more than ever, you have to be really conscious of keeping your dogs secure," said McCauley.
McCauley says the best way to do that is to get your pets microchipped so if they do get spooked, you can be reunited quickly.
She also says right now they are seeing an increase in stray animals, and this is one way to prevent that.
"One of the most frustrating things for us is someone will bring in a dog or a cat that they found and we scan it and it has a microchip but it's not up to date. So we call and it's a disconnected number," said McCauley.
She says it only costs $10 to get microchipped at their clinic and it takes a few seconds. She says it can be a life-saving investment for our pets.
"Do it as early as you possibly can. Don't wait till the last minute," said McCauley.
McCauley also says pet owners can go to their vet or the animal shelter to get medication to help relieve some of their pets' anxiety ahead of the holiday.
