Best Friends Animal Society is partnering with Los Angeles Animal Services offering $10 adoption fees at eight locations citywide from July 1-4 to maximize efforts to save the lives of shelter animals during the Fourth of July weekend. The offer is part of the “#Freedom100 to Save Lives” program during the holiday weekend.

(photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society)

The $10 adoption fees apply to the first 100 dogs and cats at Best Friends Animal Society’s adoption center in Mission Hills and to 100 select dogs and cats at the NKLA Pet Adoption Center in West Los Angeles. The organization is also charging $10 to adopt dogs and cats from six Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) shelters from July 1-3. The LAAS shelters are closed July 4.

“Adopt during the Fourth of July holiday and you’ll be saving two lives, the one you take home and the one that now has space at the shelter,” said Marc Peralta, executive director of Best Friends Animal Society-Los Angeles. “Adoption is not only the most humane option [for] adding a pet to your family, it’s convenient and cost effective too.”

The Fourth of July can be a difficult time for dogs and cats, because they are easily scared by fireworks. Shelters report there is an approximate 44 percent increase in average daily intake of animals during the holiday weekend.

Hundreds of dogs, cats, kittens and puppies are available at the eight locations. Every pet is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and ready for a new home.

“This is the first year LAAS is partnering with Best Friends for #Freedom100, and we hope to break adoption records over the weekend,” said Brenda Barnette, general manager of LAAS. “We encourage animal lovers across the city to declare this Fourth as ‘Inde-Pet-Dence’ Day for L.A.’s shelter pets.”

For people who have dogs or cats, Best Friends Animal Society and LAAS suggest that all pets during fireworks. Secure dogs in a room and play music or turn on a television to drown out sounds.

Pets owners should be sure that pets are wearing current identification tags, and are microchipped so they can be scanned at an animal shelter or veterinary office if they are found. Check with local animal shelters immediately to ensure pets are returned promptly.