However, there are a few things to keep in mind!
Do you know that more pets are lost during the 4th of July Holiday than any other holiday? Why is that?
While we think fire works are beautiful and inspiring our pets find them scary and terrifying.
Keep in mind that dogs are sensitive to loud noises, and lights and all of the unusual commotion that comes with a fun 4th of July. While it's fun for us, it's torture for our dogs.
Many times dogs will panic and try to do whatever they can to get away from the commotion, including fleeing the safety of their own home, or yard or chewing through a leash when they are out and about with family.
There are some things you can do to make sure your pet is safe during the 4th of July Holiday.
First and foremost keep up to date ID Tags on your pets collar ALL of the time, and make sure the collar is secure and not damaged. A damaged collar is easy for a panicking dog to break. Plus, there is no use having ID on your dogs collar...if you aren't going to put the collar ON the dog. That's where it belongs, on your dog. If you can't afford a dog tag, get a permanent marker and write the dogs name and a phone number! For just a few dollars you can go to some hard ware stores or even a few Wal Marts and they have an engraving machine that you can create your very own ID tag for your pet. Also, vet offices will often sell them as well!
Make sure that you have good clear photos of your dog incase your dog does run away. A clear photo of the dogs face, a clear photo of the dog from both sides, showing any unusual markings the dog has that might distinguish the dog from another. If going out of town, bring these photos with you incase your dog gets loose in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Secure your pet in a kennel in a quiet room if possible. Turn on a TV or radio to help calm the dog. Do not coddle a scared dog as this just reinforces there fear. Instead, distract the dog. Engage the dog in a tug of war or fetch game.
Do not leave your pet unattended even if your dog is in a fenced in yard they can still escape in a panic even if they might not normally leave the fenced yard.
Try to leave your dog at home, or inside during fire works so your dog is not caused stress an anxiety. Make sure your pet cannot escape out the door when it is opened and closed. A secure room or a kennel is best during fire works activities!
If your pet DOES get lost over the 4th of July please contact your local police department or Animal Shelter immediately. Leave a description of your dog (photo if possible), and contact information and let them know where the dog was last seen. Keep someone near the area where the dog was last seen as they will sometimes come back to that area trying to find you. Immediately start putting up fliers about your missing dog (include a photo or photos) of your pet. Put them up all over town not in just areas near where the dog was last seen. Dogs can travel quickly, especially when scared. Or a well meaning individual make see the dog and pick it up, and this can mean the dog travels even further!
Hang up a sign in your own yard so passerby's can see you are missing a dog and keep an eye out.
NEVER give up on finding your pet!! Pets have been returned home after being missing for days, months, weeks, or years!
Social media has made it a lot easier to cross post missing pets. Be sure to search Facebook and Twitter for your missing pet, and to find all kinds of local pages (swap shops, and pet pages) that you can post your missing dog on to help return the pet home, but be sure to include the following:
- Photos of dog (good photos where you can clearly see the color, markings etc)
- Size of dog (weight and height if you can)
- Color of dog
- Gender
- Last location seen
- If the dog is micro chipped
- Color of collar
- Name
- CONTACT information! It's good to have a couple of different numbers people can call or text if they see your pet.
Please consider, and check into getting your pet MICROCHIPPED! It is more affordable than it used to be and there are often micro chipping clinics that are cheaper you can go to as well. Most shelters will scan dogs for microchips as soon as they come in to the facility making reuniting pet with owner quicker! Make sure you keep the information updated though! Things like addresses and phone #'s (and even the owner of the dog) can change over time so make sure the information is kept up to date so the dog can be returned to it's owners easier.
Make sure people are able to share your photo, often times social media settings make it difficult to share a photo or information. Don't let your dogs photo be tangled up in social media settings that make it difficult to share their photo by making sure the dogs photo is PUBLIC.
A lot of times it will be a complete stranger that ends up saving your dog!
If you are out and about for the 4th of July and YOU happen to come across a dog here are a few things you can do.
If the dog will come to you, carefully let the dog know it can trust you (even the friendliest dog can be dangerous when frightened!) Contact your local police department or animal control so they can catch a frightened dog. If the dog comes up to you and is friendly to you. Try to stay in that area and look for the dogs owner. Knock on doors. Make a call to the shelter or police department letting them know you found a dog and give a description and contact information.
Look around on social media pages for missing dogs in your area (check craigslist too and other social media pages as well) Most newspapers will let you put a little something in the newspaper for free about a LOST or MISSING dog. Just a few words and a phone number will do it (brief description, location, and contact info).
Post photos of the dog around saying FOUND dog. Give contact info, but keep a few identifying features to yourself so owners can make sure the pet is there's. Like if you notice the dog has been spayed or neutered don't mention it and if someone calls saying they have a dog missing that meets the description and they can tell you the dog has been neutered or spayed, then chances are it is there dog. It's ok to ask for proof that the dog is theirs. There have been cases of people claiming dogs are there's when they are not.
Or if the dog has an unusual marking, or scar or docked tail try to keep it out of photos so it can be used as an identifying marker. People missing a pet if they see a dog that even looks close to their dog will often call hoping that it is theirs! If they can tell you an usual mark about their dog (that only the owner would know) chances are you found the dogs owner. Or you can turn the dog over to your local shelter where they can check and make sure the dog goes to proper owners.
Also make sure you have a found pet SCANNED!! Many shelters and vets offices will scan a pet for free to see if owners can be found. Microchips can be placed in the neck area, or leg areas, or the tummy or side sometimes so make sure the dogs whole body is scanned just to be on the safe side. Also make sure to check the found dog for any ID tags (check the inside of collars to for name and phone #'s).
Not only do dogs run away over the 4th of July but it can be a dangerous time for dogs! Dogs can be frightened and run into traffic. Dogs can step on a hot sparkler or other hot fire work and be burned, or try to eat a hot fire work and be burned. A fire work could misfire and injure a dog (especially if it is a dog that is left chained up outside all day).
Also, do not forget the cruelty that some people can display (if people is the term you want to use to describe them!) Bored and mean teenagers and some adults have been known to torment and injure animals with fireworks, so please be aware of this and keep your pets (dogs and cats!!) in where it is safe! Cats aren't fond of fireworks either and should have on ID as well and be kept in where it is safe.
I know it is cute and fun to walk your pet around on the 4th of July wearing their adorable patriotic gear but please keep these above mentioned safety tips in mind if you MUST take your dog out with you.
Also this is a very HOT time of year so keep your dog and cats hydrated and inside where it is cool. Do not make your dog walk on HOT pavement or HOT cement. If you must take your dog out please keep them in the grass where their feet will not be burned. Would you walk on hot pavement bare foot in scorching summer? Chances are, you would not, or at least not for very long so imagine how your poor dogs feet feel! If you have a dog with lots of fur, you might consider getting them a trim so they aren't quite as hot, but not too short. If you have a dog with no fur or little fur you might consider just keep them in doors so they do not suffer from a sunburn (YEP dogs can get sunburn too!). Black dogs do not do well in heat especially! Black/dark colors absorb heat so these dogs are even hotter, so keep them hydrated with lots of cold fresh water, and do your best to keep them in where it is cool, or in shade.
Sometimes, as much as we want to bring our pet with us...it can be in their best interest and safety to just leave them home. Even the best trained dog can be frightened and run away or be injured.
I know it is cute and fun to walk your pet around on the 4th of July wearing their adorable patriotic gear but please keep these above mentioned safety tips in mind if you MUST take your dog out with you.
Also this is a very HOT time of year so keep your dog and cats hydrated and inside where it is cool. Do not make your dog walk on HOT pavement or HOT cement. If you must take your dog out please keep them in the grass where their feet will not be burned. Would you walk on hot pavement bare foot in scorching summer? Chances are, you would not, or at least not for very long so imagine how your poor dogs feet feel! If you have a dog with lots of fur, you might consider getting them a trim so they aren't quite as hot, but not too short. If you have a dog with no fur or little fur you might consider just keep them in doors so they do not suffer from a sunburn (YEP dogs can get sunburn too!). Black dogs do not do well in heat especially! Black/dark colors absorb heat so these dogs are even hotter, so keep them hydrated with lots of cold fresh water, and do your best to keep them in where it is cool, or in shade.
Sometimes, as much as we want to bring our pet with us...it can be in their best interest and safety to just leave them home. Even the best trained dog can be frightened and run away or be injured.
Fireworks start early! The other evening we took the girls to the dog park since it was FINALLY cool enough to take them out and we had barely gotten to the dog park when people living at houses around the park began shooting off fireworks. I decided we weren't staying at the dog park. My dogs didn't seem to care about the noises, but I wasn't going to take any chances! We got back in the car after only a few minutes and came back home.
Wishing you and your pets a happy and safe 4th of July!!
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