Fourth of July Safety Tips for your Dogs!

Like most Americans on the Fourth of July even pet owners have plans, but we animals lovers need to be extra careful for the sake of our furry family members during this holiday. More likely than not our celebrations will include libations and fireworks, both of which can be very dangerous for our pets. It’s important to keep our pets in mind during this holiday and make sure we’re following the below tips to ensure their safety!

• Keep your pets indoors!

Even if your pets are outdoor pets it’s important to ensure your little ones are locked up inside somewhere safe. Outdoor pets get scared of loud noises just as easily as indoor pets. The excitement and fireworks from Fourth of July can cause your pets to panic and jump a fence or simply run away as they try to get to safety. If you are planning on having guests over for the day be sure to keep your animals somewhere they won’t be able to slip through a door or gate left open by one of your guests. With people coming and going all day it can be hard to keep track of what is closed and what is open!

• Keep your pets nice and cool!

Unlike humans who have the ability to sweat through our skin, our animals can only release heat through their mouth and their feet. If you are planning on having your little furry friends with you outside during the day remember to keep them cool with plenty of water. Try to find them shade when and where you can. The shade can be up to twenty degrees cooler which can be the difference between your pets feeling cool and major heat stroke! Keep in mind that asphalt and cement absorb the heat so it can be very hot on the bottom of their feet. Try to keep them on the grass and in cool areas only.

• Watch out for dangerous food and drinks!

Sure, our dogs love to beg for food from the table, but it’s important not to give in to their cute little faces. Human food can be very dangerous for our pooches even if it’s just a tiny scrap of food. It can cause serious stomach indigestion, especially in older dogs. There are some foods that should never be fed to our companion animals under any circumstances such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes, raisins, salt and yeast dough. These things are all very toxic to our friends! Additionally any kind of drink with alcohol in it (even beer) can be very, very dangerous. Intoxicating an animal is not funny business. They can have major respiratory failure in severe cases or even go into a coma. Be sure to keep all alcoholic beverages away from your pets!

• Make sure your pet is properly identified!

In the unfortunate event that your pet is lost during the Fourth of July the more identification on your pet the better! Make sure your animal has a collar with an ID tag that has your name, phone number and address on it. Additionally if your pet has a microchip make sure your information is up to date! This is the best way to ensure your pet will be safely returned to you. July 5th is one of the busiest days at the shelters. So many animals escape from their homes because they are scared or panicking. Don’t let your loved ones become one of the statistics!

• Keep human products away from your pets!

Most human products like sunscreen, oil products, insect repellent or lighter fluid can be extremely irritating to the stomach, lungs and central nervous system, if ingested. Additionally the fluid from glow toys can be just as dangerous, perhaps even more so! Some glow toys look very much like the toys we give to our dogs to chew on. Be sure all such products are safely put away and never leave them in a place your pets can get to them!