Keep pets safe this Independence Day

By Jessica Coleman

Staff Writer/Happy Tails Animal Shelter Vice President

   There are a few times a year that we, in animal rescue, dread. One of those times is the entire month of February, when the new wears off of the Christmas puppies, and we are inundated with phone calls asking us to take in pups that families “don’t have time for anymore.” The other times are January 1 and July 4, because on those days, fireworks are a big part of the festivities. 

   Days like Independence day, for humans, are days of celebration. We gather, we eat, we watch and set off fireworks with our friends and families. For our furry family members, fireworks are anything but fun. They are terrifying. 

   Every July 5th, I answer a dozen or so phone calls asking if we’ve found or had reported as found people’s beloved pets. I answer a dozen more from people who found lost dogs. There is surprisingly little overlap, most times. We post their photos on our Happy Tails Facebook page, but sadly some are never reunited with their families. Some bolt into roads and are hit by cars, and some are found by well-meaning people who decide to keep them.

   I know these people love their dogs, because otherwise they wouldn’t bother calling me. Most of them just didn’t realize that while we are celebrating, pets are hearing loud, unexplained booming noises that they can’t identify. To them, the sky is falling and the world has come to an end. It is every dog for himself! They escape and run for cover, wherever cover may be. A panicked dog can run for miles before he realizes he is lost, and can then be unable to find his way home.

   I have a basset hound named Dewey whose stumpy little legs will scale almost any fence, regardless of height, when  thunder or fireworks are within earshot. If he can’t go over it, he will go under it (and once, during at thunderstorm, he even went through it before I could get home to take him inside, leading to costly repairs and a minor snout injury). He doesn’t know any better, and because of our language barrier I can’t explain to him that it’s safer inside the fence than out. I tried howling it to him but he just looked confused and cocked his head to the side.

   I know that the 4th of July is fun and I love fireworks, too. I also have a large plastic crate in my living room for Dewey for that night, so he can’t escape and become lost, or worse, harm himself (the crate is plastic because he can destroy a metal crate in his panic, again causing snout injuries. Dewey and his disproportionate strength have brought me many adventures over the years, but that’s a column for another day). 

   If you lose a dog, please let us at Happy Tails know. We will do everything we can to help you find him. Call vets offices, animal control, and make posters if possible. 

   If you find a dog, please understand that this dog ran in fear and may be fearful. Please do not assume a scared dog was abused, as many do. Many dogs are afraid when lost and it doesn’t necessarily indicate that a dog should not go home. Always think “lost” before “abused” or “dumped” and try to find where he belongs before adopting or re-homing him.

   As always, prevention is best. This Independence Day, please bring your pets inside. It breaks my heart to receive those phone calls from crying pet owners. Maybe this year there won’t be quite as many.