THUNDER BAY--With the anticipation of the Civic holiday weekend just around the corner, and many looking forward to fireworks to light up the Aug. 1st evening, our District Humane Society reminds pet families that fireworks can be frightening to our pets.
Fireworks and loud noises can lead to our pets feeling anxious, and even make them fearful enough that they may flee and get lost.
If there are fireworks taking place in your neighourhood, here are some tips for pet parents to keep your pet safe and calm.
Thanks to Stephanie, community engagement coordinator, form the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society, here are she offered some great guidelines.
She suggests most one of the most important things is planning ahead to help them cope with fire works season. “Providing them with a safe place, a place in the home associated with a positive experience, is important,” says Stephanie. Keep a favourite toy around that area especially with dogs, make sure you have their favourite chew toy available for them to chew on,” adds Stephanie.
Other helpful tips Stephanie suggests to minimize the fear that fireworks may cause for your pet include:
- Walking your dog during daylight hours to avoid the times when fireworks goes off.
- Closing the windows and curtains to muffle the sound.
- For cat owners especially, turn on a radio or TV to help muffle the sound.
As a final note, Stephanie suggested that as pet owners we ignore the sound of fireworks. How we react is something that our pet will feed on and as a result they too will react. Keeping these simple hints in mind will help both the pet owner and pet feel less anxious, and fearful when faced with fireworks.
