Tips to keep pets safe this 4th of July Weekend

I have two dogs, both female, Allie and Brooks. Allie is a little on the excitable side, Brooks is way more laid back and chill. Both of them, however, do not like loud noises. Add flashed of light and your guessed it. They go ballistic.

Jeri Anderson

The celebration this year is set to be amazing, with the first Independence Day after COVID-19. Most of us are planning some sort of get together with family and friends, and maybe even some fireworks of some sort. The sights and sounds that go along with this holiday are not something that my girls are going to like. There are organized fireworks celebrations scheduled in Apache and Elgin on Saturday night, and the Heroes of American Fireworks Extravaganza on Sunday, July 4th at the Apache Casino Hotel's event field adjacent to the Hotel. Best to find ways to keep your pets safe this holiday weekend!

Best Friends Animal Society offers these tips to keep your pets as safe as possible during the holiday:

Bring all pets indoors whenever neighborhood fireworks displays are likely, making sure that any potentially harmful food or alcohol is kept out of reach.
Secure pets in a room, close the widows, draw the curtains, and play loud music or turn on the television to drown out the frightening sounds.
Keep pets away from lit fireworks at all times, including your own backyard, as some will chase after the bright moving objects and are at risk to be burned or blinded in the process.
Many fireworks also contain substances that are toxic if ingested, so be sure to keep unlit fireworks out of reach.
Ensure that pets are wearing current identification tags, and make sure your current contact info is recorded with the vet clinic or shelter that implanted the microchip.
Have a plan in place in case your pet does go missing that includes calling and visiting the local shelter and posting information about your missing pet on platforms such as Nextdoor and Facebook.

For more information, visit www.bestfriends.org.

Our pets are so much more that just animals that live with us. They are our confidants, our snuggle buddies, and our best friends. Keep them safe this holiday weekend with these tips!

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Categories: Lawton News

If you Love your Pets, Plan ahead for July 4th!

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