July Blog

Celebrating Independence can be Stressful for our Furry Kids 

Patriotic Dagger DogVinci July 2019

We who live here n the USA celebrate our Independence on July 4th. It’s “a federal holiday which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain." New states that entered the union received their star on July 4th. Although this practice hasn’t happened in over 50 years, it is a day of pride and festivities. There are parades, barbecues, picnics, fairs, fireworks all happening across the USA. 

​While I love it all, I’m really not to fond of the effect fire works have on noise-phobic pets.  Those of us who live with fur babies, the 4th of July can be a very stressful holiday for the dogs as well as the humans that care for them. There are more dogs that run away on July 4th than any other time of the year. When a fearful dog gets spooked they often use all of they might to flee their premises. They escape their surroundings not knowing where they are going. Sometimes they even break through glass windows in a state of complete fear running aimlessly and ultimately getting lost. Shelters become overwhelmed with the hundreds, sometimes thousands of stray dogs found wandering the streets the day after the 4th. So, what can we do? The best solution is to encourage and educate the public about the effect fireworks have on the animals full of stress. But, any body who has witnessed and lived through the holiday can attest that this can be a pretty difficult solution to attain and the sad reality is that it will never happen. In fact, in my neighborhood, it seems that the fireworks and firecrackers have gotten worse over the years. Therefore, the only ideal solution to the problem is to make sure that our pets are in a safe environment. It is very important that your pet have an up to date ID tag clearly visible so that if your pet does get out of your house or yard at least he or she has some identification on.  In addition, it's also so important to keep your pets indoors in a safe secure place.  I’ve heard that playing “White” music helps.  A "Thundershirt" is terrific also. I used a "Thundershirt" for my beloved Maggie May.  Filled with stress, she would scratch and slam her body on furniture and shake like a leaf.  The "Thundershirt"  seemed to work very well for Maggie May. Some people even give their noise-phobic pets anxiety medication. However, be aware that sometimes the side effects are worse than the stress the dogs are feeling during the booms of the sudden blasts of the firecrackers. And any kind of medication should always be given under your veterinarians direction specifically for your pets size and medical history.
It might be beneficial for pet parents to stay home to ensure their pets well being is addressed. Sometimes trying a combination of a number of things may help to settle your dog. Cathy Rosenthal, Newsday columnist for “My Pet World” says, “Banning fireworks in neighborhoods seems like the kindest and simplest thing to do.” I couldn’t agree more!! In fact, in a town in Italy they have silent fireworks. Now, how great is that!!?? I’m grateful that Dagger and Miss YaYa don't mind loud noises and the fireworks don't bother them. However, Tommy TuTu does get stressed out by the fireworks. So, we try to make his environment as stress free and comfortable as we can by having him wear a Thundershirt and playing some white music in the background. 

Maybe one day we will celebrate our Independence while watching the beautiful displays of color in the night sky in silence with our fur babies sitting calmly right by our side. Now, that would be a REALLY good 4th of July!!! 

What ever you do this July 4th, be safe and celebrate our Independence!!

​Happy 4th of July everyone!! 

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Happy Tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne