Hillsboro Air Show: Keep an Eye on Your Pets

This weekend is the Hillsboro International Air Show and while that is good news for people who like fast planes, cool planes, and people parachuting in formation, it is not such good news for pets.

"When we humans see the magnificent planes flying in formation we are thrilled," says Deborah Wood, manager of Animal Services at the Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter in Hillsboro. "To a pet, they are a terrifying threat.

"Animals presented with a threat like that are very likely to do anything they can to escape."

Wood says that if you live in the area of the air show, it is important to remember your pets.

"To prevent pets from becoming frightened and lost, pet owners should be prepared much like they are for the Fourth of July," says Wood.

The shelter offers the following tips to help prevent your pet from becoming lost.

• Make sure your pet has identification. Every pet should have collar tags and a microchip.
• If you live within earshot of the planes, keep your pets inside this week. “Frightened animals can get out of a fenced area they would never leave under normal circumstances,” says Wood.
• Make your home a sanctuary for your pet. Have an interior room (such as a bathroom or basement with no windows) where your pet can stay if he’s fearful of the noise. Keep a radio or TV on for “white noise” to soften the sounds of the airplanes. Many people find that ThunderShirts, available at pet supply stores, can also be calming for pets.

Wood says that if you do lose a pet:

Check with the Bonnie Hays shelter. All stray animals are available to view on the shelter’s website (www.washingtoncountypets.com – click on “Lost and Found”). Also, call the shelter and report a lost pet even if the pet is not on the website – the shelter may have received a “found pet” report from someone in the community. The number to call for a lost or found pet report is 503-846-7039.

People can pick or drop off stray pets found in Washington County from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from noon until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The shelter is closed on Sundays. The shelter is located at 1901 SE 24th Street in Hillsboro (on Tualatin Valley Highway adjacent to Lowe’s and Home Depot).