Sunny days, the end of school and the start of summer vacation season may all be combining to cause an influx of dogs and cats into Central Oregon animal shelters, officials at shelters in Bend and Redmond say.

“People are in and out of the home, and doors get (left) open,” said Lynne Ouchida, community outreach manager at the Humane Society of Central Oregon in Bend.

That is when the dogs and cats may sneak out and go missing, and might end up at a shelter. Over the weekend and start of this week, there was a rush of dogs and cats into the Humane Society of Central Oregon — 10 on Saturday and 30 on Monday. The animals were a combination of strays and pets given up by their owners. On a typical day the shelter receives about a half dozen such animals.

Now the shelter is close to full, and Ouchida said anyone who is missing a dog or cat should call, check the shelter’s website or stop by to possibly find the missing pet.

There is now also a crowd of dogs and cats at BrightSide Animal Center, which changed its name from the Humane Society of Redmond in January, said Chris Bauersfeld, executive director at the shelter.

“This is the time of year that we expect it to be busy,” she said.

As of Tuesday, the shelter in Redmond had 41 dogs and 78 cats, Bauersfeld said. It normally has 40 to 45 dogs and about 70 cats.

Warm weather plus kids being home from school adds up to more open homes and straying pets.

And many people go on vacation, leaving their pets in the care of sitters or friends.

“Unfortunately the dogs and cats go missing while they are on vacation,” she said.

Pets may also disappear during summertime thunderstorms and Fourth of July fireworks.

If a pet goes missing, Bauersfeld said, owners should put up fliers in their neighborhood and see if the animal is at their local shelter, as well as shelters in nearby towns.

“Always check the shelters,” she said, “and check daily.”

Bauersfeld and Ouchida both recommended pet owners have collars with identification tags on their animals and have identification microchips implanted into the dog or cat. Microchip implants cost from $20 to $35.

Pet owners should also take pictures of their pet with their cellphones, so they have easily accessible photos of the animal if it goes missing.

The crowded shelters make this a good time of year to adopt, the shelter officials said, with many animals available for adoption.

“We have a great selection of cats, dogs, rabbits and other small animals that are just waiting to be in (a new) home for the summer,” Ouchida said.

Central Oregon animal shelters

Lost a dog or cat? It might be at an animal shelter.

• Humane Society of Central Oregon, 61170 SE 27th Street, Bend; 541-382-3537; www.hsco.org/strays. Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 to 5 p.m.

• BrightSide Animal Center, 1355 NE Hemlock Ave., Redmond; 541-923-0882; www.brightside animals.org/services/lost-pets. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.