Roman candles, poppers, rockets and missiles. To most, the Fourth of July finale is a feast of color and sound.
Unfortunately, for our canine friends, it is a time of sheer terror.
“They can just go to pieces,” said Barbara Calm, a veterinarian with Calm Animal Care Veterinary Clinic in Kila. “It’s a rough season for sensitive dogs.”
Every year on this sonorous holiday, the Flathead County Animal Shelter experiences an influx of lost and anxious pups that fled their homes because of the noise.
“Any holiday with fireworks we have an increase (in dogs),” Kirsten Holland, the shelter’s director said.
The dogs that turn up at the shelter on or after July 4 can be pets trying to escape the thundering blasts in their own backyard, or pooches that run away while attending festivities with their owners.
“It’s hard because you’re out for the day and want to take your dog,” Holland said. “It’s cool until it’s time for fireworks.”
Dog owners who are used to leaving their pet tied up outside the home, in a kennel, or in the backyard are often surprised when their normally well-behaved dog becomes so distraught that it does just about anything to break free. Most of the time, these animals are trying to find their owners for a sense of safety.
Holland said she knows of cases where dogs broke through windows, chewed through drywall or chain link fences. If you have a dog with separation anxiety, she said, you definitely don’t want to keep it chained up. The escaped dogs that aren’t lucky enough to be picked up by someone could end up being hit by a car or cause an accident, she added.
Myni Ferguson said dogs are much more sensitive than humans, and the noise level from fireworks on the Fourth of July is tough on their ears.
“It’s like gunfire going off, and it’s coming from all angles,” Ferguson, who is president of the Flathead County Animal Advisory Committee, said.
She said her Doberman Pinscher is so acute, he lets her know a couple of hours before a storm arrives.
But according to Calm, dogs’ sensitive hearing isn’t necessarily what drives them to such extremes during fireworks displays because some dogs don’t have a problem.
“I don’t think it’s the noise – there’s something about it that’s just terrifying,” she said. “It’s a phobia is what it is.”
Hunting dogs accustomed to loud gunshots, for example, handle the elevated noise level without fear or anxiety.
“The same dogs that are scared of gunshots are terrified of fireworks,” Calm said. “Dogs think they’re just fine in their yard, and during the Fourth of July or a thunderstorm (they’ll be) in just a panic.”
Pet owners who don’t want Fido to run off or go berserk this Independence Day, and locals who want to ensure a safe and fun holiday for all, should note the following recommendations from Calm, Ferguson, Holland and the Flathead County Animal Shelter:
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Ferguson said it’s also a good idea to microchip dogs in case they lose their collars. Contact the shelter or your vet clinic for more information on this process.
• Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners. “If you find a stray dog, the best thing you can do is bring it to the shelter because we’re a place everyone knows (to look),” Holland said.
• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. Dogs can slip out of collars, break chains, jump over or dig under fences, or jump from a vehicle. “What you don’t want to do is tie a dog up outside in an unsheltered area,” Holland said. She said dogs have also been known to wrap themselves around cords or chains. “They’re in a blind panic,” Ferguson said. “A normally well-behaved dog doesn’t really think normally.”
• Don’t take your dog to fireworks displays. “Take your dog home and secure it in its usual place, because it will be much happier at home,” Holland said. Even if they don’t seem to mind loud noises, sounds may cause damage to their ears. If you use fireworks at home, keep your pet indoors. If your dog is crate-trained, he might feel safest in his crate, Holland said, but do not keep him there more than three to four hours at a time.
• It is best to keep your pet inside and well supervised. Dogs and cats can bolt out of homes when someone is entering or leaving the house and have been known to tear through window and door screens. Be sure that windows and doors are securely closed/locked if you hear fireworks nearby, or if you are out and your pet is home.
• For pets that are known to have phobias to loud noises, it is recommended to keep the pet confined to a crate in an interior room of the home. Play some soft music or the television to help drown out the noise outside. If your pet panics easily, talk to your veterinarian about using a safe sedative to relieve your pet’s anxiety. Do this well in advance – unless your pet has had a thorough physical exam very recently, your veterinarian will need to perform a physical examination and possibly blood-work before prescribing medication.
• While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and injury, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.