Shelters fill up as scared dogs run away from home due to New Year's fireworks

Many dogs in the Valley aren't starting their new year on a good note after winding up in a shelter because of being scared by New Year's celebratory fireworks.

"So far this year, our officers were out on the first and second because the shelters were closed and they picked up close to 80 dogs on their own," said Melissa Gable of Maricopa County Animal Care and Control.

Gable says this is their second busiest time of the year after the Fourth of July because fireworks go off on New Year's and scare pets out of their yards.

"They hear that noise and they don't know where that noise is coming from they don't know what it is, so they just want to try and get away from it; so they're going to jump over fences, dig under the fences, be very creative with whatever they need to do to try and escape that noise," she said.

Gable says each year people line up outside the door in hopes of finding their dog or to drop off one they found. She says a way to prevent this from happening is to stay up to date with your dog.

"Make sure that your pet always has identification and if you move, you update that info on their tag, their licenses, their microchip," she said.

If you're missing your dog, make sure to check the shelters. You have 72 hours until the shelter can legally put your dog up for adoption.