Fireworks are not so fun for pets

Happy Fourth of July weekend! What a great weekend to celebrate, get the grill fired up and give thanks for our amazing country.

This holiday is always wonderful but this year is even better since the fourth falls on Tuesday. Many people have an extra day off work. What could be better?

While we’re all spending time together with our picnics and events let’s remember why we’re celebrating. So many courageous people came before us to build our nation. We are blessed to live in freedom in the most wonderful country in the world. So while we’re partying, take a moment to appreciate this important holiday commemorating our independence.

Let’s also take time to make sure the furbabies are cared for. There is one thing we can almost count on during this holiday: fireworks. I can almost promise you there will be fireworks.

While fireworks may be fun for people, they are disastrous for animals, domestic and wildlife alike. Many animals are simply terrified of them and will do anything to try to escape the horrible sound of explosions. Please understand a fence will not typically hold a pet frightened by this loud noise. They will find a way to escape.

As responsible pet parents please anticipate fireworks and the reaction your pet may have to them. Now is the time to take action in advance of the holiday.

Check your pet’s ID tag to make sure it’s legible. If you don’t have ID tags on your dogs or cats please get them before the fireworks begin. As an extra precaution, write your phone number on your pet’s collar with a waterproof Sharpie.

Then plan to keep your pets inside the house in advance of the fireworks if at all possible. Keep them in an interior room with some sort of distraction like a television or radio playing.

Again, please remember a frightened dog will escape a traditional fence and will run right through an invisible fence. Many of the pets who have been lost during fireworks were left in some form of fenced yard. A fence of any type will not contain a dog who is scared of continual explosives.

If you’re not able to bring your pets inside during the terrible sounds, please have a family member stay outside with them until the noise subsides. Just your very presence with your cherished furbaby may make the difference in his safety.

It would be wonderful not to have any pets lost on the Fourth of July. So please help me get the word out to everyone who has a dog or cat to make sure they’re all safely inside the house before fireworks begin. If you’ve ever dealt with a frantic heartbroken family who has lost their beloved pet you would follow every precaution on a holiday that involves fireworks.

I wish you a joyous Fourth of July weekend. And I’m wishing all pets will still be safely at their own homes on the fifth of July.

This story was originally published June 30, 2017 at 8:38 AM with the headline "Fireworks are not so fun for pets."