After Ryder the dog went missing over the Fourth of July holiday two years ago — getting out of his backyard as neighbors fired off loud bottle rockets and fireworks — Debbie Ferris made fliers, posted on online rescue sites and went door-to-door in her Las Vegas neighborhood.
But no luck. And then all the luck.
Seventeen days later, Ferris had Ryder back in her arms. The pup turned up in San Diego County, more than 300 miles from his home. Because he had a microchip implanted under his fur, shelter workers were able to quickly get in contact with Ferris.
While her lost-dog story ended in a happy reunion, too often pets that go missing over the noisy, busy Independence Day weekend never find their way back home.
According to the San Diego Humane Society, the organization generally sees a 44% jump in stray pets coming into its shelters over the holiday compared to other times during the year.
Last year, 314 stray pets were taken in between July 4 and July 7, while only 72 were reclaimed by their owners. Over the same period in 2023, the organization took in 323 stray pets, and just 80 were reclaimed.
To help pets be reunited with families faster, the organization is offering free microchipping at its El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego locations through Thursday. It also is waiving reclaim fees through July 8.
“Due to pets being spooked by fireworks, the organization is urging pet owners to take steps to protect their pets from becoming lost, as shelters are already full,” the organization said in a news release
Reclaim fees typically cover such things as daily impound and animal care, as well as medical services. But officials don’t want that to keep someone from reclaiming a pet.
While the fees are important to cover costs, “our main priority is to keep pets with the people who love them and out of the shelters, so our staff is empowered to work with pet owners concerned with their ability to pay, if they are looking to reclaim,” spokesperson Nina Thompson said in an email.
Reclaim fees will be waived for owners who pick up their dogs on the first day and if the pets are already spayed or neutered, have a valid license and are microchipped, Thompson said.
“If the dog is not licensed and not vaccinated, we have to ensure they are” before the pet is returned to the owner, she said.
After finding Ryder because of his microchip, Ferris said she encourages others to make sure they take that step, too. “Without it, I would have never got my baby back,” she said.
Ryder the dog got loose around the Fourth of July in the Las Vegas area in 2023 and was claimed at a San Diego shelter 17 days later. He was identified through his microchip. (San Diego Humane Society)
As for how he ended up in Southern California? Ferris remembers a neighbor up the street was packing to move around the holiday and thinks the dog may have sought shelter inside the U-Haul truck.
Before ending up at the Humane Society facility, Ryder was found in a department store parking lot in El Cajon.
Ferris’ aunt, Darlene Harde, drove out to San Diego with Ferris to pick up Ryder, a fox-haired terrier and chihuahua mix who is now 10. They made sure they visited a dog-friendly beach before heading back to Nevada.
“We did lots of work trying to find that boy,” Harde recalled, adding that she remained optimistic they’d eventually find him. “I kept telling Debbie he’s going to come home, we are going to get him home.”
To reduce the risk of pets getting lost, the Humane Society suggests owners keep pets indoors during fireworks and festivities and ensure dogs wear a collar with an ID tag. Some owners may want to consider hiring a pet sitter to stay with pets during fireworks or consulting a veterinarian to see if medication might help reduce the animal’s stress.
If a pet goes missing, the San Diego Humane Society suggests owners access its Lost2Found program by texting “LOST” to 858-726-5678 to get automated texts with tips and resources to help with searching. The organization has additional information at sdhumane.org/lost.
Originally Published: July 1, 2025 at 4:50 PM PDT