By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA — Best Friends Animal Society is sharing tips to help pet owners keep their furry companions safe and happy this historic Fourth of July.
While the holiday can provide lots of fun and memories for humans, it can be particularly stressful for dogs with things such as large crowds, the sound of fireworks and passing sirens contributing to anxiety.
The organization suggests checking when fireworks are scheduled to go off in your local area and to bring pets inside before they begin.
Once inside, set your dog or cat up in a cozy room with closed windows, drawn curtains and their favorite toys, blankets and bedding.
Sometimes playing calming music or turning on the TV can help muffle outside noise and soothe anxious pets.
2. Make sure to keep your property clean
Fireworks contain chemicals and heavy metals that can be incredibly dangerous to pets if they get into them.
In the days following the holiday, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on pets while they’re in the backyard or out on walks in case neighbors set off fireworks during the holiday and didn’t clean them up right away.
3. Be incredibly careful feeding your pet any food scraps
Common summer staples including avocadoes, grapes, onions and ice cream are toxic to pets.
Frozen watermelon chunks, blueberries or baby carrots are pet-friendly alternatives, though these should always be given in moderation.
4. Make sure your pets have a tag and microchip
According to the American Humane Society, July 5 is often the busiest day of the year for America’s animal shelters due to scared pets running away from home on the Fourth of July.
This way, if your pet gets startled and runs away from home, it will be much easier to reunite them with you.
5. Always plan ahead
Make sure to keep emergency contact information easily accessible so that help can be quickly reached if an emergency occurs.
Some key contact information to have on hand includes the numbers of local emergency veterinary clinics and the numbers of nearby shelters.
To learn more pet safety tips, you can visit Best Friends Animal Society’s website here.
