5 tips for keeping pets happy, safe and healthy amid fireworks and festivities

When planning this year’s Fourth of July celebrations, it’s important to take pets into consideration. From fireworks to parties, these festivities are often frightening for cats and dogs.  

 To help provide pet parents with peace of mind, Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and making the country no-kill, is sharing its top five tips to keep pets healthy, safe and home during the holiday weekend.  

Create quiet 

Learn when your local fireworks displays are happening and bring all pets indoors ahead of time. Dogs and cats alike will appreciate a quiet room, with the windows closed, curtains drawn, and the familiarity of their favorite toys, bed or blanket. To provide additional comfort, try playing calming music or turning on the television for background noise to help drown out fireworks outside.  

Clean up quickly

If you plan to set off fireworks at home, it’s essential to promptly clean up all trash and any leftover materials from the explosives before letting pets back in the area. Fireworks typically contain a variety of chemicals and heavy metals that are toxic to pets if ingested, making it important for pet owners to be vigilant about not letting their pets put unknown items in their mouth when in the yard or on walks. 

Say no to scraps

Barbeques during the holiday weekend may be filled with summer food staples like avocados, grapes, ice cream, and onions — all of which can be toxic to dogs and cats. For those wanting to give pets a fun summer treat, try freezing pet-approved fruits and vegetables like watermelon, blueberries, or carrots for a healthy and cool treat. 

Stress less

Generally, pets aren't fans of noisy crowds, explosions, marching bands or fire trucks. When making plans for the holiday weekend, think ahead and make arrangements so pets can be comfortable at home instead of at a parade or fireworks display as these can be stressful or even dangerous situations for them. 

ID please

Always make sure pets are wearing up-to-date identification tags with your current contact information. Having updated contact information available on an ID tag or microchip will help pets and their people be reunited should they get spooked and run off.   

To make sure they are prepared for a pet emergency, pet owners should locate and save contact information for their local emergency veterinary clinic and nearby shelters ahead of time. This will allow swift action to be taken if a medical emergency occurs or a pet becomes lost.  

Editor’s note: Best Friends Animal Society, headquartered in Utah, has a national pawprint and partners with animal organizations throughout the country, including the Greater Phoenix area. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.