Independence day and all of its festivities are just around the corner! Loud noises and bright fireworks, along with lots of company, can cause dogs to feel nervous or uncomfortable. Preparations need to be made for your animals to ensure there are no stressors that make them run away or get hurt during the celebration.

Here are 3 helpful tips for making sure your pets stay safe this holiday:

  1. Make sure your pet has identification. Dogs need to wear collars with tags that have current contact information. Although this is important to have, collars can break or come off and not be useful anymore. Microchipping and registering your pet is the best way to identify the animal if the collar is lost or not on the dog when it runs off. This is a permanent way of identifying your pet, so it’s more effective than collars.
  2. Keep your dog inside at home. Your pet will be more comfortable inside your home – if your pet is left outside while you’re away celebrating, they’re more likely to run off to find you if they get scared. Bringing your pet to a party can be a recipe for disaster, as they can get stressed out by the loud fireworks. If the environment is unfamiliar to them, they could feel even less secure.
  3. Block outside sights and sounds as much as possible. If your pet cannot see or hear anything out of the ordinary, they will not become nervous. Fireworks can overload a dog’s senses, so by minimizing distractions, you can prevent a doggy freak out!

 

Stay safe this fourth of July, and have a great time with your family, friends and fur-babies!