EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The fireworks have faded and the New Year’s celebrations have ended, but for El Paso Animal Services, the aftermath is just beginning.
The shelter is now grappling with a surge of pets who panicked and fled during the festivities, echoing the high-risk pattern seen every Fourth of July.
In the week surrounding the holiday, the facility received over 300 animals, a flood of lost pets that has pushed the shelter to over 130% capacity for both dogs and cats.
“We’re pretty much always running at over capacity levels, but holiday spikes like this create an extreme crisis,” said Julianne Newbold, Public Affairs Coordinator for El Paso Animal Services. “We still have a lot of pets that haven’t been reclaimed and are still looking for their families.”
While the shelter has reunited roughly 50 to 60 pets with their owners since New Year’s, many more remain in kennels, their families possibly unaware of where they are or how to find them.
Officials stress that the days following a holiday are a critical window for reclaiming lost animals.
“Fireworks may last only a few minutes, but their impact can continue for days as lost pets arrive at shelters after the holiday,” said Interim Director Michael Wachsmann.
He emphasized that prevention is always best, but if a pet does go missing, immediate action is key.
For residents still searching for a missing pet, or for those who have found a stray, Animal Services outlines clear steps:
Check the Shelter In-Person: Visiting the shelter on Fred Wilson Road is the most effective way to look for a lost pet, as online photos can lag.
Use Petco Love Lost: Upload a photo of your lost or found pet to PetcoLoveLost.org. The site’s facial recognition AI scans thousands of listings across platforms to make a match.
Scan for a Microchip: If you find a pet, take them to any vet clinic or fire station to be scanned for free. Then, use PetMicrochipLookUp.org to identify the registry and contact the owner.
The local shelter offers a temporary foster program to support community members who can temporarily house a found pet. This keeps the animal out of the overcrowded shelter and increases its chance of being found by owners nearby.
“Most pets don’t go more than a mile from home,” Newbold noted.
To create space for the continuous influx of animals, the shelter is urgently appealing for public help.
“Adopting or fostering is a great way that you can make a big difference for the animals here in our care,” Julianne Newbold, Public Affairs Coordinator for El Paso Animal Services, said.
For those considering fostering, the commitment provides a vital lifeline. “It frees up more space here at our shelter for helping more pets in need,” Newbold explained.
As the community settles into the new year, Animal Services reminds all pet owners that securing pets and keeping identification current is a year-round responsibility.
“Make sure that they’re always securely confined, microchipped, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered,” Newbold urged. “Do all the things possible to avoid them from having to come into the shelter.”
For families who welcomed a new pet over the holidays, officials advise ensuring the animal is microchipped and registered to the new owner immediately. A collar with a current ID tag is also essential—or, as a quick fix, a phone number written on the collar with a permanent marker.
The El Paso Animal Services shelter is located at 5001 Fred Wilson Ave. To view lost pets, see animals for adoption, or access resources, visit http://elpasoanimalservices.org
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