SPRINGDALE, Ark. — While the sound of fireworks during the Fourth of July is exciting for most humans, our furry friends are often scared of those pops and booms.
“This is definitely a busy time of year for shelters. It's not that we're not patriotic, but fireworks are not always everybody's best friend or cup of tea. This year, with the fourth being on a Tuesday, it might be a little bit longer of a season than we normally have,” said Courtney Kremer.
The Director of Animal Services for the City of Springdale Courtney Kremer says the holiday often brings a lot of lost pets to shelters.
Kremer says that to prepare your pet for the festivities, consider keeping them inside during fireworks, or if they are in a backyard, make sure the fence is secure, and the pets have proper identification tags and microchips. Also, be careful letting your pets outside right after fireworks have been shot off because the fireworks could burn their paws. They could also try to eat them and could become a choking hazard or burn their mouth.
Veterinarian Dr. Sandy Jernigan says if your pet is new to your home, you probably don’t know how fireworks will affect them.
“Some dogs are going to be super anxious and start painting, pacing, or trembling. So those are all signs you want to look for ... One thing that I don't advise is taking the pet out with the intention to show them it's okay because that can just escalate things a lot more,” said Dr. Sandy Jernigan.
Dr. Jernigan suggests turning on music or the TV to drown out the noise. She says some pets are anxious with the lights versus the sound, so start with closing the blinds.
“There are pheromones that kind of mimic their mom or dad, and you can put those out in the house. That can help to kind of take the mood down. You can also do something called a thunder shirt, which is kind of a little snug. To help kind of relieve some of that anxiety for them,” said Dr. Jernigan.
Dr. Jernigan says if those things don’t work for your pet, then make sure to call your vet prior to the holiday, because there are anti-anxiety medications they can prescribe.
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