Fresno County animal shelters trying to reunite lost pets with owners after storms

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The recent storms led to more than just flooding.

Fresno County animal shelters are also feeling the impact as they welcome new faces.

High winds, thunder and lightning can be a bit scary for our furry friends.

"Dogs have much more of the kind of flight version of what comes with fight or flight when it comes to a dog that's scared, and a lot of the times they will just run," explained Ruben Cantu, Valley Animal Center adoption center supervisor.

After more than a week of rain in Central California, Fresno Humane Animal Services is now trying to get animals lost during the storms back to their owners.

"The last two weeks, we saw an extra 120 animals compared to the two weeks prior," said Sally Breyer, senior operations manager. "So we took in just over 400 animals in last two weeks."

Valley Animal Center isn't legally able to accept lost, stray or abandoned animals from the public. However, the center has seen more people bring in lost animals to get scanned for microchips.

"Just this month, we've had three owners located through microchips," Cantu said. "That's a huge advantage to your animal going missing."

Staff at both facilities said the animals that've come in are not strays, and they belong to someone out there.

"If your pet does get out, give us a call," Breyer said. "Certainly come down frequently to come get your pet as it enters the center."

More rain is possible in the Valley.

Pet owners can take action now to prevent their animals from escaping during a storm.

• Make sure pets are kept indoors.
• Check fences or gates just in case they need repairs.
• Don't skip the chip. Fresno Humane offers microchips for 10-dollars.

Fresno Humane expects more animals to come through their doors in the coming months.

They're encouraging people to consider adopting or fostering to free space up so they can continue helping lost animals.