It is important to plan ahead with 4th of July pet safety tips to help keep your pets safe and comfortable on the 4th of July. Many dogs and cats are afraid of the noise of fireworks and 4th of July celebrations causing some to even get loose and run away.
Check out our top 10 list of 4th of July pet safety tips.
- Make sure your dogs and cats have microchips and are wearing collars with current contact pet id tags in case they get loose.
- Give your dogs several walks during the day, if the weather permits, or exercise them indoors to help them be relaxed and tired during your 4th of July celebration.
- If you are hosting a BBQ or attending one with your dogs, make sure all gates are securely closed and locked so your dogs cannot escape if they get scared by the noise of the party or fireworks.
- Make sure your dogs or cats cannot get close to the BBQ keeping them safe from the flames and heat while keeping all food out of your pets reach.
- If you are attending a party where there is a swimming pool, make sure your dogs cannot get close to the pool if they don’t know how to swim.
- Provide plenty of water and shade if you are outdoors celebrating in warm weather or in the heat.
- To help keep your dogs and cats calm during fireworks, bring your pets inside, turn on the air conditioning, radio and/or TV to something soothing to help mask the noise of the fireworks.
- Purchase a ThunderShirt for your dogs or cats to help reduce your pets anxiety.
- If needed, ask your veterinarian for medication or contact your local natural pet store for calming options to help lessen your pets fear and anxiety.
- Do not leave your pets home alone if they are afraid of the noise from fireworks.
Are your pets afraid of the noise from fireworks and 4th of July celebrations? Do you have 4th of July pet safety tips you would add to our list for other pet parents?
*This article was updated on 7/17/17.*
What a helpful list of tips! We have two dogs and five cats. One dog is deathly frightened of even the smallest “pop” from a firework. The other one is only made nervous by the loud ones. The cats are blithely unaware. I’ve never heard of that rein coat! Might have to think about getting one of those for our nervous dog.
Hi Amy. We are glad our list of pet safety tips is helpful for your two dogs and five cats. You have quite the pet family. 🙂 I have two dogs who both scare easily from fireworks, Beatrice worse than Florence. We will implement many of the tips from our list to keep them calm and at ease on the 4th of July. Your one dog may really benefit from The Rein Coat. If you get one, I would love to hear the results when your pup is wearing it.
Cute pic! This tips are very helpful, Lets start our 4th of July with our dogs, me and my dog will be shopping on that great day 😉
Aww!
We have a house rabbit. I’m not sure what he thinks of fireworks, but he is TERRIFIED of window cleaners!
Let us know if your rabbit reacts to fireworks if he hears any. Funny to hear he is so afraid of window cleaners. Poor thing!
My dog Valentino and I will be spending our first 4th of July together (home alone and doing not much of anything) and although he is around three years of age, I’ve no idea what his reaction to fireworks might be. Fortunately, where we live is sort of rural and elderly residents so it’s pretty calm here. He doesn’t care much for thunderstorms, though, so I’ve a feeling fireworks rumblings might bother him.
We hope Valentino won’t be bothered by any noise from fireworks. We can hear them where we live so we stay home with our girls to help them feel more secure when hearing the fireworks. We also have make sure the is tv on to help mask the noise.