With the fun of Independence Day approaching, it’s important to remember these key ways for protecting your pets during 4th of July festivities!
Protecting Your Pets During 4th of July Festivities
We LOVE Independence Day, But It Scares the BEGEEZUS Out of Your Dog!
The 4th of July is right around the corner which means friends and family will be gathering together to celebrate the freedom we enjoy. There will be cookouts galore, kids running around and playing, friends toasting and enjoying the summer season….but, it can be a scary and overwhelming time for your pets.
Our dog Lilo will be 2 years old this July 4th and she loves a good party! But, after the excitement of having friends and family over for an afternoon of fun, she’s exhausted….and that’s without the holiday celebration…that’s just a typical Saturday afternoon playdate!
Since Lilo is an American Poodle mix, she’s already a bit neurotic. Seriously, this dog HATES to be left alone, she’ll cry at the door while the kids go next door to play. She always wants to be in the center of the excitement but, just like with any kid, too much excitement leads to exhaustion which can lead to poor choices.
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Keep “People” Food & Drinks Out of Reach
To keep Lilo safe during our 4th of July activities we make sure we keep a close eye on her. We make sure that all of the people food is up and out of her reach…there’s nothing worse than a pup with an upset stomach at 4am because she ate too many hot dogs! We also make sure that all the adult beverages are out of her reach as well…just like with the kids we don’t want her consuming any alcohol. At least the kids sniff our drinks and respond with “Ewww…gross…why do you drink that? It smells yucky!”; but Lilo actually likes the taste of beer….yep, we discovered this totally by accident a few weeks ago.
While Hubs and I were watching a movie one evening after the kids went to bed we were enjoying some “Mommy and Daddy” beverages when we heard rustling going on in the kitchen. Hubs got up to inspect what was going on and he found Lilo rummaging through the recycling bin and licking the heck out of his empty beer bottle. Lesson learned…no beer bottles in Lilo’s reach!
2. Schedule Down Time for Your Pet
If you’re planning on partying all day long then it’s good idea to schedule a little down-time for your pet. Just like you make the kids take a break to recharge your pets need the same break. When we first adopted Lilo we crate trained her and not only did it work really well but she still finds her crate to be calming. So, whenever we’re planning a busy day we’ll pull the crate out and set it up nicely for her.
I’ll put a few chew toys in there along with a container of water to give her time to rehydrate. Typically I try to place her crate in a cool low-traffic area, like our master bedroom.
3. Fireworks are for You NOT Your Pets
Many people don’t realize that July 5th is the BUSIEST day of the year for animal rescues around the US. That’s because fireworks scare pets and cause them to become disoriented. Even if your pet seems excited it’s still not a good idea to take them to see fireworks. Their “excitement” is usually anxiety manifesting…did you know that 83% of dogs are afraid of fireworks and 1 in 5 dogs go missing during firework displays each year?
I have Thundershirts for Lilo and both cats because they really help with pet anxiety. It’s like a constant hug for them.
Our cats are extra anxious, especially during thunderstorms so I also diffuse lavender essential oils and if it’s really bad you can always get them Chillout treats to help calm their nerves.
4. Make Sure Your Pet’s Chip and Collar are Up to Date
With so many pets taking off during fireworks it’s important to have your contact information updated and available for when they are found. A few years ago my cat, Delilah, scooted out the door during a horrendous thunderstorm. She was missing for 3 weeks and we thought she was gone forever. Then, one day I received a call from the local animal shelter telling me they found her. She was found 5 miles away from my house! So make sure you have your pet’s information up to date just incase they take off.
I love these because they’re less likely to snag on branches and fall off. These pet tags slide onto their collar. If your pet doesn’t have a chip I would definitely suggest going ahead and getting them microchipped. All of mine have been microchipped and it gives me peace of mind.
5. Keep Your Pets Inside on July 4th
Finally, it’s just best to keep your pet safe and sound inside for all 4th of July activities. I know we want to include our pets in the fun, but when it comes to fireworks, pets aren’t having fun because they don’t understand where the loud noises are coming from.