4th of July Dog Safety Reminders!

[thesilentwoman]

From the Humane Society of The United States:

To protect your pet on the Fourth of July, take these precautions:

1. Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
2. Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.
3. Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you've removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you're attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.
4. If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
5. Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
5. Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners!
Have a safe and Happy 4th!

[Bay_Kat (Premo)]

I started another thread, there are fireworks all over my neighborhood, nothing much is illegal down here and my dog can't find a small enough place to squeeze into.

[thesilentwoman]

I will never forget finding a dog on July 8, 2006 while walking at Piscataway-Accokeek Park: I saw something moving in the ditch and pulled my dog back thinking it was a skunk...It was this wet, shivering, filthy little dog who seemed so relieved to see a human it crawled up and collapsed on the path. Luckily it had a collar and and tags so I called the number---the woman who answered the phone began crying and shouting that someone found Bill, who had escaped in a panic on July 4 when the neighbors set off fireworks...I carried the creature back to the parking area and met the woman who was still crying when she grabbed Bill and ran back to her van: inside was her mother, who was in a wheelchair and her father, a frail man in ill health. It was an emotional reunion and they kept thanking me over and over again: that little scruff of a dog, Bill, meant the world to them...

[Erin]

Originally Posted by thesilentwoman

I will never forget finding a dog on July 8, 2006 while walking at Piscataway-Accokeek Park: I saw something moving in the ditch and pulled my dog back thinking it was a skunk...It was this wet, shivering, filthy little dog who seemed so relieved to see a human it crawled up and collapsed on the path. Luckily it had a collar and and tags so I called the number---the woman who answered the phone began crying and shouting that someone found Bill, who had escaped in a panic on July 4 when the neighbors set off fireworks...I carried the creature back to the parking area and met the woman who was still crying when she grabbed Bill and ran back to her van: inside was her mother, who was in a wheelchair and her father, a frail man in ill health. It was an emotional reunion and they kept thanking me over and over again: that little scruff of a dog, Bill, meant the world to them...

Awww - glad you were at the right place at the right time.

[ginwoman]

good job Silent Woman