How To Keep Your Pets Safe During July 4 Fireworks

SEATTLE, WA — Any pet owner will tell you, July 4 is one of the worst times of the year for pets, especially dogs. The sound of fireworks can be terrifying for some animals, causing them to cry, bark, and sometimes run away to deal with the anxiety and fear.

But there are a number of things you can do to prepare for July 4 — and the days before and after when citizens (sometimes illegally) set off fireworks. Make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise to tire them out, and take your pet to vet to get anti-anxiety medications.

"By planning ahead and being prepared, we can keep our pets safe and more comfortable through the fireworks while we celebrate the Fourth of July," Seattle Animal Shelter director Ann Graves said in a statement this week.

Here are a few more tips from the Seattle Animal Shelter:

• Leave pets at home and inside. Fireworks can be terrifying to pets, even pets who are accustomed to being around crowds and commotion.
• Create a home sanctuary. Leave your pet in an area of your home where it is safe, comfortable and sheltered from any outside noise and lights. An interior room without immediate access to the outside is preferred. Playing a radio with relaxing music may help mask the sound of fireworks.
• Pet-proof your home. When scared, animals may become destructive, so be sure to remove anything from reach that can become damaged or may harm the pet if eaten or chewed.
• Identification is essential. Pets may panic, escape and become lost. Updated identification is critical to ensuring lost pets are reunited with their families. Ideal identification includes a tag, pet license and microchip.
• Consult a veterinarian for pets with anxiety. Consult your veterinarian before the Fourth of July to seek out remedies to lower your pet’s stress level, if this is a known issue.

If your pet does run away during fireworks, visit the websites of local shelters to see if your pet has been found.

• Seattle Animal Shelter.
• Humane Society of the United States
• Regional Animal Services of King County
• PAWS