A man who has rescued plenty of pets scared by fireworks scaled a massive tree on Thursday to do it again, this time a family that got skittish while July 4 was being celebrated too loudly.
Kenny Speck, of Speck and Sons Tree Trimming in Auburn, California, said he often lends a hand when animals need rescuing, KCRA reported, and so he was quick to assist when a call came through about the family cat hiding out in a neighbor's giant pine tree.
"July 5 is when animals get weirded out from the Fourth of July fireworks," Speck said. "So they'll climb up trees, run away and do different things."
That’s what happened with Stormy, a cat belonging to 8-year-old twins Alice and Travis Murphy.
Frightened by the noise, the cat bolted from the home and climbed up the nearby tree, and then was unable to climb back down.
"(Pets) get scared when they're up there all night," Speck said, according to KCRA. "All they hear is the coyotes and all the wild animals. So, it's new for them – they're scared!"
Speck was able to climb the giant pine tree, get close to the frightened Stormy and calm the cat, which he then carried back down.
The twins were relieved to have their pet back.
"I was scared that we were never going to get her back," Alice Murphy said. "I knew she was safe – but I was still kind of worried."
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals noted that, around July 4 each year, there is an uptick in calls about missing pets and other issues caused by the loud noises of fireworks.
In fact, July 5 is considered to be the busiest day of the year for animal shelters, The Arizona Republic reported.
Jose Santiago, spokesman for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, said its two facilities in Mesa and in Phoenix had 800 lost animals as of Thursday morning, with the number expected to rise by 300 within the next few days.
The Animal Foundation of America in Los Angeles saw more than 200 lost pets brought to its shelter this week, KTNV reported.
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