Mom and I usually
choose a blog topic together. Since the 4th of July is
only a few days away, I thought I would be good to remind people that
loud noises, like firework, are very, very scary for pets. I realize
that the 4th of July is a very important holiday for all
Americans, human and dog, the loud noise made by fireworks is more
than most of us dogs can handle.
I wanted to talk
about what humans can do to make their pets feel more safe and
unafraid while the humans can enjoy the sound and colors of a
fireworks display.
Lots of our friends already know how to keep their pets safe and unafraid but there were people who never lived with pets before and they
may not know that loud noises are dangerous for dogs and cats, and
horses and ferrets and…. Well all animals.
First of all,
most pets don’t pay attention to the calendar so, unlike humans,
they don’t know it is the 4th of July. They aren't
expecting the day to be any different from the 3rd of
July so it's a big scary surprise when all the big noise starts. And
please, as much as you might like to take us along to see the
community fireworks, we would prefer to stay at home.
You know our
sense of smell is much greater than that of humans, well, our hearing
averages about four times greater than yours too. That means
fireworks are very, very loud.
So, while you may
enjoy the sight and sound of fireworks on the 4th of July,
your pets may not. While you are sitting on the front porch,
enjoying the display, your pet may experience an increase in heart
rate, a rush of adrenaline and increase in stress hormones that could
cause him or her to bolt. The stress can be so intense that dogs
jump fences and break chains trying to get away from the noise.
The American
Humane Society reports
that July 5th is the busiest day of the year at animal shelters, as pets that fled ran away because they were scared the night before are found
miles from their homes They were disoriented and exhausted.
Here are a number of thing you can do to make sure your pets are
comfortable and safe this July 4th.
1.
Leave them at home and inside. If it is warm, leave the air
conditioning on.
2.
Provide a "safe" place for them. Our crates are our safe place
but during
thunderstorms and
on the 4th
of July, DixieLee likes to hide in Mom’s closet.
3.
If possible keep the windows and curtains closed.
4.
Make sure your pets are wearing their ID tags and that their collars
fit properly just
in case they bolt.
5.
Give them something to keep them occupied. I’d vote for a Frosty
Paws frozen dog treat but a favorite toy can
comforting too.
It’s
only a few hours out of a whole year but those few hours can be very
traumatic for a pet. Make sure your best friend doesn’t end up as
a statistic on the American Humane Society report for next year.
Wishing
America a Happy Birthday and all of our friends a happy and safe July
4th!
Zeva
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