Dozens of dogs reported missing after Independence Day weekend

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The Humane Society of Central Texas says 71 voicemails of missing or found dogs were left between Sunday and Monday after hundreds enjoyed Independence Day by setting off fireworks.

Ximena Reyes is an 11-year-old missing her dog in the Waco area. She and her family live off of Bagby and say their dog Kilo ran away Friday night.

“I went to go check on Kilo but he wasn’t there I kept yelling for him but he wasn’t there,” Reyes said.

Her mom posted to the Central Texas Lost and Found Facebook page like dozens of others have in the last few days hoping someone has seen her dog.

“He is brown and has white spots and a white thing on his head, he used to play with me a lot he was my best friend,” Reyes said.

The Humane Society of Central Texas was one of the first places they went to go look, but say it was closed.

“If you find a stray there is no where to take it,” shelter director, Paula Rivadeneira said.

Their doors were closed for intake Monday, as she encouraged people to try and find pet owners on their own.

“We need the community to really take responsibility for those strays and be a good neighbor.” Rivadeneira says people should post pictures of the dogs to lost and found pages or apps like nextdoor where the dogs owner could also be looking.

She says the shelter is already full and can’t afford to take in all the dogs being posted about right now, plus it’ll cost the owner and the person dropping the dog off.

Rivadeneira says its $50 to surrender a dog, and the owner will owe money to retrieve it too, but she says if you’re worried about having to pay to give them a call and they can work with you.

Summer Garza with Heart of Texas Lost and Found says her team has checked the microchip of more than 100 stray dogs this 4th of July weekend to try and locate owners.

With one more night of likely fireworks Monday, she is advising pet owners not to take any chances and let that number of missing dogs go up.

“Don’t leave your pets in backyards because even if they’re outside dogs anything can spook them especially loud booms, just bring them inside for the night,” Garza said.

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