More pets go missing on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year due to the the noise and large crowds, experts said.
“There are absolutely dogs that can handle it, I call them bomb-proof, you know nothing fazes them,” said Veterinarian Emily Rogell. “But what I would recommend if you’re dog is anxious during thunderstorms [then] that’s a pretty good indication they’re not going to like the fireworks.”
Rogell said many pets bolt because they don’t have the benefit of knowing when and why fireworks are going off. Rogell recommends leaving the radio on, or a fan going, to help muffle the sound of the fireworks.
Pet owners can also put their pets in a quieter part of the house, “ Bathrooms are good, a lot of dogs like to curl up in the bathtub.” Said Rogell.
It’s not just dogs, cats also have keener hearing than humans.
“They do have much more acute hearing than we do. They hear different frequencies than we do and they hear better than we do. Often time it just sounds like a boom to us...they will actually feel it,” said Rogell. “Depending on how close they are it can actually be painful for them.”
Dog trainer Jazmine Cordova said she’ll give her anxious dog, Griffin some naturopathic ‘chill out’ treats about fifteen minutes before the fireworks start and put him in a thunder coat.
“What the thunder coat does is it puts pressure on the abdomen like you’re holding them, you can tighten it as needed. It’s comforting,” she added.
In extreme cases, Rogell said there are drugs to help take the edge off.
“For the cats and dogs that really have a true fear, and really get very anxious, I think [the thunder coat] is excellent for them. “
Animal control usually puts out extra crews for the holiday, so if your dog does go missing, your local shelter is the best place to look for them.
