The Fourth of July is upon us with celebrations throughout the day on Thursday, throughout Santa Barbara County.
And then there are fireworks at Santa Barbara’s West Beach.
We all love the family-oriented festivities so we include the canine members of our family, but dogs do not like fireworks. This includes fireworks shows or small bursts of illegal fireworks.
Statistics show that more dogs run away and get lost on the Fourth of July than any other time of year.
Fireworks are loud and unpredictable, and many dogs see them as a threat.
Firecrackers and fireworks at a pyrotechnics show come without forewarning. The loud noises and flashing lights sound and look different each time. They come at different intervals, so dogs cannot get used to them.
Our dogs have a sense of hearing that is much better than ours. They hear twice as many frequencies as we do, and hear sounds four times farther away.
Fireworks at a fireworks show are random, making the crowds “Oooh and Ahhh” in excitement, but also make many of our dogs whine and bark with anxiety.
The fireworks can cause restlessness, shaking, panting, pacing and feeling threatened. This can generate their fight-or-flight response.
Your dog may bark at the noises or try to run away and hide. Unfortunately, there is nowhere for your pal to hide.
The noise is heard indoors and outdoors, so your pal may run aimlessly and possibly in front of a vehicle or get lost.
Be sure your dog has ID tags and is microchipped. A GPS collar is also a good idea to help track your pal. So if your dog runs away, disoriented from the unfamiliar loud noises, it can be tracked with the GPS collar and can be identified with tags and a microchip and be reunited with you.
If your pal is already microchipped, check that the contact information on the microchip is up-to-date.
Keep your pal inside in a quiet, secure room in its crate or on a dog bed. Close your windows and curtains to soften the fireworks’ sounds and lights. You can even cover the crate with a blanket.
Stay calm so your dog does not get cues from your concern over its fear. Turn on some music, a radio, a TV, a fan or white noise. These are familiar and calming sounds that muffle the scary and sudden sounds of the fireworks.
The fireworks will be livestreamed on KEYT.com and simulcast on KjEE Radio (92.9 FM), so avoid using either of these to reduce the firework sounds and lights for your pal.
If you need to leave your dog alone at home, get out its favorite old toys and give it long-lasting treats.
Exercise your dog before you leave. Double-check the fit of its collar or harness before exercising because there may be some bursts of illegal fireworks during the day Thursday and it could break loose in a panic.
Your dog can also injure itself by knocking over furniture when running through the house.
A trainer can help you immensely by working with your dog to desensitize it — far in advance of the Fourth of July — to fireworks and other loud noises.
Wency Elaine, a local trainer/behaviorist, advises to not ever bring your dog to a fireworks show, especially a young dog. This may cause the dog to be sound- and light-sensitive for a very long time.
Your veterinarian can also prescribe some anti-anxiety medication you can use to help calm your pal.
Cats are not immune to the fear of the sights and the sounds of the Fourth of July so take similar precautions with them at home.
Keep indoor/outdoor cats inside in a dark room with the stereo playing softly. Cats will find comfort in a covered spot off of the floor, such as a hut in an indoor cat tree.
Cats also like to hide so a spare bedroom is good for them because they can go under the bed and feel safe.
They may also need some tranquilization from their veterinarian if they have had problems previously.
If you have a cat that is always outdoors, try putting it in a carrier in a dark comfortable place for the evening.
If you have pet birds, you also should try to put them where they will not hear the fireworks. The explosive sounds may give them “night frights” and they may injure themselves jumping in their cages.
The Fourth of July is also a big boating holiday. If you bring your dog in your boat, whether in the ocean or on a lake, be sure it is fitted with a “doggy life jacket” and secured safely in the vessel.
Leave cats at home when camping or boating. They typically do not do well camping, even in a motor home. They can easily run away and be injured or worse by coyotes.
Also be careful with your dogs out in a public park. They can wriggle out of loose collars and win over friendly faces to let them off of their leash.
Dogs can easily get into trouble when not on a leash. There are cars, sometimes illegal firecrackers, and many strangers to scare your pet.
A dog off a leash in a public area, unless it is specified as allowed, is illegal.
Some dogs at barbecues get upset stomachs and occasionally even more serious medical problems from being fed leftovers or other food.
I have seen dogs ill from eating corn cobs that block their intestines, rib bones that do the same, and chicken bones lodged in their mouths.
Dogs can develop pancreatitis from eating foods that are high in fat. Onions, in sufficient quantities, can cause anemia.
Chili dogs and spicy foods do not make your pet’s gastrointestinal system very happy. Too much mustard can cause vomiting in dogs. So try not to feed your dog leftovers.
Happy Fourth of July! It is a people’s party day celebrating Independence Day.
For our pals, dogs and cats, however, it is just another day — but a day that, for them, has crazy and wild sounds and lights.