July 5 is one of the busiest days of the year for animal shelters as a massive amount of pets run away during the night, frightened by the fireworks. However, you can likely prevent the running away of your animal this holiday by following some guidelines that keep your pet in mind.
To ensure that your pet(s) remains safe this Fourth of July, follow these safety tips:
Leave Your Pet at Home During Firework Shows: Depending on your pet, combining large crowds with loud fireworks isn’t always the best idea. The safest place for your pet during these excessive celebrations is at home, not in a crowded and noisy place. Bringing your pet with you could cause him/her to become alarmed and seek shelter elsewhere.
Make Sure Your Pet is Identifiable: In the event of your pet getting loose and lost in your neighborhood or elsewhere, it’s important that you’re prepared. Make sure your pet has ID tags with their name or nickname along with your phone number so he/she will be returned to you more quickly. Another option is to consider fitting your pet with microchip identification. In case you need to put up signs to find your pet, be sure to have a recent picture of it so it can be better identified.
Keep Your Pet Away from Glow Jewelry: Glow-in-the-dark jewelry such as bracelets and necklaces are rampant during Fourth of July celebrations. They can also be dropped or lost very easily and picked up and eaten by your pet. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, though glow jewelry isn’t highly toxic, the plastic can cause gastrointestinal irritation or intestinal blockage from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
Don’t Use Fireworks or Firecrackers Around Pets: Not only can fireworks or firecrackers cause your animal to run away in fright, but more adventurous animals could be severely burned if they approach the fireworks to see what they are. Even unused fireworks can be hazardous: some fireworks contain potentially toxic substances such as arsenic, potassium nitrate, and other heavy metals.