4th of July Safety Tips for Your Pets

The 4th of July is fun for some people…. but not for our animal friends.  Unfortunately, more pets go missing on the 4th of July than any other day of the year.  Our pets have much better and more sensitive distant hearing than humans, so to them; the fireworks are like a war zone. Please make sure to keep your pets safe and comforted. 

How to Keep Your Pets Safe

1. Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered and quiet area.
   Some animals can become very destructive and panic when frightened.  Ensure you’ve removed any items your pet could destroy, get injured by, or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Use a crate or secure room, so he or she can feel safe (den).
2. Leave your pets at home with a person if you go to parties, fireworks displays, parades, and other gatherings. Loud fireworks, unfamiliar places, and crowds can all be too frightening to pets, and there’s a significant risk of pets becoming spooked and running away.
3. Close windows and doors.  Keep the area cool and ventilated. Leave calming dog music, TV, or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company and drown out the 4th of July firework noises. Check out caninelullabies.com and use “FFR” at the shelter code number when you purchase.) YouTube and other online music (amazon Music, Spotify, etc.) all have calming dog/cat music.
4. Best to stay home with your pet.  Give your dog extra exercise during the day to help relieve anxiety before the fireworks.
5. Ensure your pet is wearing updated ID Tags and Microchipped in case your pet gets lost or bolts. Have a current photo of your pet on hand in case you need to make lost flyers/postings.
6. If your pet does go missing, make sure to search immediately. Check your local animal shelters and vet offices if someone brought your pet in. Post on Nextdoor, social media, and around your neighborhood that you are looking for your pet.
7. Keep all sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, charcoal, and kabob skewers away from curious pets.
8. Don’t let pets near your BBQ grill while it is in use or still hot.
9. Inform your guests not to feed party foods to your pets. Be especially careful to keep them away from these common foods that are actually toxic.