PETS AND FIREWORKS - LOVE YOUR COUNTRY BUT LOVE YOUR PET TOO - Suggestions for protecting your dog from getting lost or even dying of terror

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• Many pets are still running away or getting killed by cars as they bolt blindly from the noise.
• Some are so scared they can actually drop dead from heart attacks.
• More pets go missing over the Fourth of July weekend than any other time of year.
• The populations of many shelters will increase 30 percent over the holiday weekend
• See Do and Don't list for pet care during firework celebrations 

 

To us, fireworks are the sparkling embodiment of July Fourth. But to dogs, they truly are bombs bursting in air.

 

The pops and explosions, raucous block parties and other loud noises during holiday festivities can scare dogs into leaping over or digging under fences to escape the thunderous blasts, leading them to get lost or injured.

 

More pets go missing over the Fourth of July weekend than any other time of year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

 

Many seasoned animal lovers know to keep their dogs inside, but many pets are still running away or getting killed by cars as they bolt blindly from the noise, or dying from sheer terror. 

 

Continue reading, and see Do and Don't List

 

Some pets die of terror

 

Some animals are so scared they can actually drop dead.

 

Wendy Wilson said her 15-year-old golden retriever named Spencer "reacted in total terror" at a bottle-rocket barrage from a neighbor's yard last July Fourth in the Raleigh, North Carolina, suburb of Cary.

 

Veterinarians told Wilson that Spencer apparently died of a stroke or heart attack possibly triggered by fear of fireworks. They couldn't find another reason because he had no prior heart condition.

 

"There wasn't anything I could do," Wilson said. "There must have been something in that sound spectrum that was so upsetting to him that he couldn't get through it. Most people think of dogs running away. He didn't even try to run."

 

The populations of many shelters will increase 30 percent over the holiday weekend, according to the animal safety group Found Animals.

 

To keep pets safe, Los Angeles trainer David Wright and other experts offer some dos and don'ts: 

 

 

DOs AND DON'Ts GUIDE

 

DO

 

— Get collar IDs and microchips.

— Use a crate or keep animals in a room where they can't flee.

— Crank up music or the television to mask the sound of fireworks.

— Provide water and food: Fear makes dogs pant, and unfamiliar food makes them anxious.

— Offer chewable toys or treats as a distraction.

 

DON'T

 

— Take a pooch to see fireworks unless it's a noise-trained police K-9 or guide dog.

— Leave them outside, where they jump or dig to escape the yard.

— Approach dogs who look scared because they can attack.

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DOG EXPERT CESAR MILAN'S SUGGESTIONS:

Here are some tips to help keep your dog calm, making for an easier holiday for both of you.

1. Preparation

Arrange to have your dog in a place where there won’t be loud fireworks displays — a friend’s or relative’s home or a doggie day care with which your dog is familiar.

If it’s an unfamiliar place for your dog, take him over there a few times in the days before the holiday so that it won’t be a surprise when you take him there on the Fourth.

2. Accommodation

If you cannot take your dog to a place away from fireworks, then have a travel kennel at home for her to feel safe in. if you’re not going to be home, have a friend or sitter there to keep your dog company and take her out to relieve herself every four hours.

3. Acclimation

The best way to prepare your dog for fireworks is to make sure he’s comfortable with the sound in advance. While this is a simple process, it can take time — possibly three or four months of playing the recorded sound of fireworks for your dog at an increasingly louder volume before he eats, before a walk, and before affection and play.

 

This will condition him by association to hear the sound and interpret it as something good. While you can try this method over only a week or two, in such a short time span it should only be used in conjunction with one or more of the other tips. In any case, play the firework sounds.

4. Sedation

If you do find it necessary to use medication to calm your dog during the fireworks, remember that you must introduce it at the right time.

 

This means that you must bring your dog to that calm state first, then medicate before the fireworks and the anxiety begin. If she is already at an anxiety level of 8 or 9, then her mental state will overrule the medication.  

5. Communication

If you are going to be with your dog during the fireworks, sending the calming message that they are nothing to worry about will also help him to relax.

Remember, though, while humans communicate with words, dogs communicate with energy, and will look to their pack leader for clues on how they should behave.

 

If you’re not making a big deal or showing excitement about the fireworks, then he will learn to be less concerned as well.

 

In all cases above, expend your dog’s excess energy first, before the fireworks start, by taking her on a very long walk to tire her out and put her in a calm state.

 

Most importantly, don’t think of this in terms of your dog as your child who is missing out on a great, fun time. That’s human guilt. Your dog won’t know what she’s missing.

 

You’re being a good pack leader by not exposing her to a situation that will trigger her flight instinct in a negative way. When the booms and bangs of Independence Day are over, your dog will be grateful to you for having made it a less stressful experience!

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Sources
http://phys.org/news/2015-07-country-dog-pets-safe-july.html

http://www.cesarsway.com/dogbehavior/hyperdog/How-to-Keep-Your-Dog-Safe-and-Calm-During-Fireworks

Animal pictures - SPCA Vancouver, BC -  Pets for adoption
http://www.spca.bc.ca/branches/vancouver/adoption/pet-on-the-net/

 

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