Jul 3, 2008 4:40 am US/Pacific
Keep Your Pets Safe This Holiday
PALM SPRINGS, Calif.
Members of the Riverside County pet protection department have tips to help people put their animal at ease during the fourth of July, because because, as one official put it, fireworks "really drive animals batty."
"Every year pets who are afraid of fireworks try to escape their yard, jump over fences and often injure themselves," said Riverside County Department of Animal Service spokesman John Welsh. He warned pet owners to take precautions to keep their animals safe.
In 2007, county animal services officers received more than 1,200 calls after the Fourth of July fireworks ended, he said. They recovered 130 "freaked out" stray animals but found 23 that were dead, many of them hit by cars.
"The fireworks really drive animals batty," Welsh said. "... They don't like them at all." W- He told pet owners never to take their animals to a fireworks show, and anyone planning to leave a pet unattended on the holiday should be sure the animal is in a safe, secure room with a favorite chew toy and the television or music playing to combat the sound of fireworks.
Other tips for pet owners:
-- Keep a collar on your pet with an updated identification tag.
-- Have your pet "microchipped" in case of an escape.
-- During holiday parties, keep your pet secure in a crate or in a back bedroom.
-- Providing your pet with a place to hide during fireworks demonstrations, such as under the bed or in a closet.
-- Consulting a vet before to the holiday for possible sedatives, if a pet is known to be anxious due to loud noises.
According to a Palm Springs Animal Control official, the Fourth of July is harder for animals because of differences from humans in how they hear.
"This is a rough time of year for dogs and cats ... they don't hear like we do, it's more of a high pitched squeal for them," said Ted Nickerson. "They just can't handle loud banging noise. It's very scary for them."
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