Riverside Animal Shelter Packed With Dogs Spooked By Firecrackers

RIVERSIDE (CBS) — It's a scenario that plays out year after year on the day after the Fourth of July -- dozens of animals awaiting their owners at shelters after getting spooked by fireworks.

CBS2/KCAL9's Greg Mills spoke with Eileen Sanders of the Riverside County Animal Shelter, who for 19 years, has taken in animals on July 5 that are lost, terrified and injured.

"I hate this day more than any other day out of the whole year," Sanders said. "Its dog after dog after dog that is here that shouldn't be."

By noon, cages have been filed and emptied twice with a list three pages long of strays brought in Tuesday morning, most of which are pit bulls or Chihuahuas.

"If people would stay home with their animals, put them indoors, tranquilize the ones they know have problems, this wouldn't happen," she added.

And if all owners would have identifying microchips implanted in their animals, most of these stray stories would turn out to be happy tales –- dogs and owners reunited.

Left unclaimed, after five days, dogs at this shelter can be euthanized.