Strays: Rogue fireworks and wandering animals mark post Independence Day cleanup
Whether it's streets filled with bottle rocket debris or animal shelters full of spooked pets, there are several issues people are dealing with on the day after the Fourth of July
Whether it's streets filled with bottle rocket debris or animal shelters full of spooked pets, there are several issues people are dealing with on the day after the Fourth of July
Whether it's streets filled with bottle rocket debris or animal shelters full of spooked pets, there are several issues people are dealing with on the day after the Fourth of July
Whether it's streets filled with bottle rocket debris or animal shelters full of spooked pets, there are several issues people are dealing with on the day after the Fourth of July.
One spot on South Leslie Street in Independence, Missouri, is still marked by cones and scorch marks.
One man, who identified himself as Jason, says he put artillery shells in an old refrigerator and lit them with fireworks at his Fourth of July celebration. He had to call the Independence Fire Department to put out the flaming fridge.
The pieces of it are now in his pickup truck. He'll likely receive a citation and have to pay a fine for the fun.
He left behind a roughly 100-square foot scorch spot the city's street department will have to repair. Street crews say it will be a considerable undertaking.
"That will take us, probably a four-man crew, for about three hours to go out and make a mill and patch repair on that," Street superintendent Zan McKinney said.
Trash, like leftover fireworks debris, can be problematic for another reason. Sometimes it gets washed into storm drains and can cause clogs and damage. Other times, it may also pollute nearby creeks and streams.
That chemical pollution can be dangerous for wildlife and even pets. This leads to another July 5th issue, strays.
The KC Pet Project took in 174 animals over the holiday weekend, more than half of them strays.
"We're working really really hard to reunite them with families. But if they don't have any identification or a microchip, it makes it much harder to get them back home,” Tori Fugate with KC Pet Project said.
Fugate says if your pet is missing, go to your nearest shelter to see if your pet might be there.
While the kc pet shelter took in 174 animals this holiday weekend, 243 were adopted.
However, the shelter is expected to fill up this week and is also on pace to bring in a record 15,000 animals this year.