Fireworks make life difficult for pets and animal shelters
The Fourth of July is an exciting event for humans, but for pets and animal shelters it is recognized as the busiest week of the year. The fireworks result in animals being confused, frightened and ultimately lost. Fireworks are only one part of the problem, combining factors such as vacationing pet owners who relinquish pets, people moving and those animals that are confiscated due to neglect. This perfect storm leads to record capacities in animal shelters.
McKamey Animal Center (MAC) recommends the following tips for pet owners for keeping pets safe and calm during the holiday festivities:
- Ensure your pet is wearing a collar and identification tag with current contact information to reunite them quickly. MAC suggests writing owner’s name and phone number in permanent ink on the pet’s collar, just in case the tags get lost. All pets, even those kept indoors, should wear collars with identification tags at all times. Indoor-only animals can become so frightened during fireworks displays that they take desperate measures to escape the noise, such as breaking through windows or door screens.
- Invest in a Thundershirt. MAC has had great success with Thundershirts for those shelter pets that are easily stressed by loud noises and other causes of anxiety.
- Microchip your pet.
- Keep all pets safely confined indoors around the July 4th holiday when fireworks are set off.
- Don’t take your pet to firework displays or gatherings where fireworks will be set off.
- Leave your pets safely indoors, preferably with a radio or TV on at normal volume (too loud makes things worse) to dampen jarring noises. Pets usually kept outdoors should be brought inside as an extra measure of safety.
- Never leave your pet in a parked car, even at night during a fireworks display. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise to dangerous levels within minutes.
- If your pet becomes lost, visit our Lost and Found Pets page for tips on what to do and to register your animal as lost. www.mckameyanimalcenter.org
- Consult your veterinarian if your pet is distressed by loud noises like fireworks displays. There are a variety of medications and techniques to help alleviate your pet’s fear and anxiety.
Additionally, MAC is offering free micro-chipping throughout the month of June to the first 200 pets. MAC wants every animal to have identification this 4th of July to ensure a fast reunification with their families. MAC is encouraging pet owners to take precautions to ensure their pet does not become another lost statistic this holiday.
According to Executive Director Jamie McAloon, “The number of lost and missing pets doubles in shelters over the 4th of July. A dog or cat who normally would never try to dart out the front door may go through a window or scale an 8 foot fence to escape the terrifying booms of fireworks.”
Citizens of Chattanooga, Red Bank, and Lakesite can make an appointment here. After the first 200 chips are gone they will offer chips for a low fee of $10 which includes national registration. Micro-chips are normally a $60 value. This program is held in memory of Luther Massengale, an advocate for reuniting lost animals with their families in the City of Chattanooga for over 40 years.
Report an animal that appears abandoned or neglected to your local animal shelter. In the City of Chattanooga call 423-305-6500 ext 153. The 4th of July doesn’t have to be a nightmare for pets. To report a lost or found pet in Chattanooga, please call 423-305-6500.