Tips for the Fourth of July

The Humane Society of Charlotte urges everyone to remember to practice pet safety during Fourth of July Weekend. There is often an increase of lost pets following the Fourth. Festivities for the holiday often include fireworks and other commotion, which can be stressful to pets or result in them getting lost. Below are some tips and tricks to keep your animals safe while observing the holiday weekend.

Pet Fireworks Safety

In addition to the fireworks themselves posing a potential danger to animals, the loud noises, bright lights and strong smells that come with fireworks displays can trigger stress and fear for pets, which can be damaging to their health and lead to accidents if and when they try to run away. Because of that, you’ll need to make sure your pets are safe and as calm as possible while the celebrations are going on, which means:

  1. Make sure your animals are locked inside, even pets who are normally outdoors. Pets can become startled by the sudden noises from fireworks and jump fences or "door-dash. Pick an interior room in your home for your pet to muffle the noise as much as possible.
  2. Noise still bothering them? Play some classical music to provide a calming environment with constant soothing noise.
  3. Consider utilizing a thunder-shirt or compression garment. Favorite toys or comfort elements, such as a Kong of peanut butter or belly rubs, work well too.
  4. Identification is essential. Pets may panic, escape and become lost. More pets go missing July 4th than any other time of the year. In fact, on average, animal welfare organizations see about a 30% increase in the number of lost or missing pets in comparison to other days. Unfortunately, only about 14% of those pets are returned to their owners. Updated identification is critical to ensuring lost pets are reunited with their families. Ideal identification is both a tag and microchip (make sure your chip is registered on a site such as www.petmicrochiplookup.org).
  5. Consult a veterinarian for pets with anxiety. Consult your veterinarian before the Fourth of July to seek out remedies to lower your pet’s stress level if this is a known issue.

Outdoor/Recreational Safety

Many of us will use the Fourth of July as a way to get outside and enjoy some recreational activities with our closest friends and family. That can, and should, include your pets but you’ll need to make sure you’re taking proper precautions to keep them safe during the celebrations. Before you head out, think about:

  1. Does your dog have a canine-appropriate life-jacket? If you’re heading out on the water, or even just going down to the lake as part of your Fourth of July celebrations, you’ll need to make sure your dog has an appropriate life-jacket just in case they jump from the boat or want to go for a swim. You should also never throw your dog into the water - some dogs can panic which can cause injuries or even drowning accidents to happen. 
  2. Do you have enough fresh water? If you’re planning to spend extended periods of time outside in the heat, you should make sure you can provide plenty of fresh water for your pets so they can keep cool and stay hydrated. If where you’re going will have limited shade, it might also be worth bringing a cover with you to rig up and provide a shady spot for them to settle in if the heat gets too much. Be sure to also bring treats to reinforce good behavior.
  3. Are you cooking outside? The picture of a dog ‘helping’ with the barbecue might look cute, but grills and barbecues can pose significant risks to your pets. It is always best to keep pets away from grills and barbecues to avoid risks of burns or them knocking the grill over in excitement. You should also look out for any food scraps that have been left out - some dogs will scavenge and could eat something they shouldn’t, including leftover bones, so be sure to promptly clear away any leftovers and finished dishes.
  4. Do you have enough waste bags? This one might seem obvious, but if you’re heading away for celebrations it’s easy to forget to pack extra waste bags to clean up after your pet. We’d recommend over-packing these, just in case there are any accidents or your plans change at the last minute. 

As long as you take the proper Fourth of July pet safety precautions, there is no reason your pets can’t be included in your celebrations. Just watch out for any signs of stress or anxiety so you can act quickly to keep them comfortable around bigger groups and fireworks.