A fun celebration for us can become quite uncomfortable and even frightening for our pets. The fireworks display, for example, if nearby, can terrify a cat or dog. Many pets are startled by the sounds and, if given the chance, will run. Some become disoriented and never find their way home or they get hit by a car.
Dog owners forget that when the air temperature rises, so does the temperature of the sidewalk and the asphalt. One source says that if the outside temperature is 95 degrees, the pavement can be as hot as 140 degrees. And a dog’s paw pads can easily burn at that temperature. I suggest that if you want to walk your dog along the parade route on July Fourth, for example, or take him with you to the park, take your own shoes off and check to see how hot the pavement feels to you before subjecting your pet to it. And remember, you might leave the house with your dog early in the day. But a hot day will only get hotter as the day progresses.
Believe it or not, there are many companies today that sell boots and booties for dogs. I
attended a pet-writers/bloggers conference in Arizona last year and the weather had already turned hot. So the forward-thinking organizers of this event provided booties for dogs to wear while outside for their pee-breaks.
Some cats are afraid of loud sounds, like the community fireworks and firecrackers set off by random neighbors. So take precautions for your cats this week and especially tomorrow to keep them safe and stress-free. Here’s a site with some tips. https://www.petsit.com Scroll down and click on “Fourth of July Tips to Ensure a Safe Holiday for Pets”
Here’s another resource. This one also suggests running something that creates ambient sounds to muffle the sounds of fireworks, for example. http://amp.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/pets/article159100509.html
