Remember to protect them from dangers associated with holiday
PHOENIX, Ariz. − July 4 is no “blast” for pets. Here are some tips for pet owners for a safe Independence Day holiday:
Resist the urge to take pets to Independence Day festivities. Keep pets safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area inside your home.
Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear of loud noises, pets who normally wouldn’t leave the yard may escape or become entangled in their chain, causing injury or death.
Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep your pet company while you’re attending picnics, parades, and other celebrations. The sound of the TV or radio can keep them calmer. In addition, some animals can become destructive when frightened, so remove any items your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed.
Never use fireworks around pets. Exposure to lit fireworks can result in severe burns and trauma to the face and paws of curious pets. Even unused fireworks can pose a danger, as many contain toxic substances such as potassium nitrate and arsenic.
Make sure your pets have a microchip and are wearing identification tags so that, if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. AAWL offers low-cost microchips, ID tags and vaccines; go to http://www.aawl.org/ and click on the Vet Services tab for information about microchipping and vaccines.
If you are using a barbeque grill, always keep an eye on your pet, to be sure anything hot is out of reach of hungry dogs. The grill will smell good to your dog, but its heat could burn your pet.
For more information visit www.aawl.org/.
