The 4th of July holiday can be a stressful and troubling time for our pets. The Humane Society of Summit County is advising pet owners to take extra precautions as we celebrate this summer holiday.
They advise the following to ensure all our furry family members are safe:
- Leave pets at home and inside. Fireworks can be terrifying to pets, even pets who are accustomed to being around crowds and loud noises.
- Create a home sanctuary. Leave your pet in an area of your home where he or she is safe, comfortable, and sheltered from any outside noise and lights. An interior room without immediate access to the outside is preferred. Playing a radio with relaxing music may help mask the sound of fireworks.
- Pet-proof your home. When scared, some animals may become destructive so be sure to remove anything from reach that can become damaged or may harm the pet if chewed or eaten.
- Identification is essential. Pets may panic, escape and become lost. Updated identification is critical to ensuring lost pets are reunited with their families. Ideal identification is both a tag and microchip.
- Consult a veterinarian for pets with anxiety. Consult your veterinarian before the Fourth of July to seek out remedies to lower your pet’s stress level if this is a known issue.
If your pet does get lost during the festivities, the Humane Society urges you to search the area as soon as your pet goes missing, make sure your pet has on a collar and tag with your contact information and if your pet is micro chipped, make sure the information is up to date.
If you find a lost pet in the Summit County area you can call the Humane Society of Summit County at (330)487-0333 or Summit County Animal Control at (330)643-2845 for help.