(Evansville, IN – Our nation’s birthday is right around the corner. The Vanderburgh Humane Society is offering tips for how to keep everyone safe & happy for the holiday weekend!
While celebrations with fireworks are exciting for people, those same booms can terrorize animals. Nationally, the first business day following July 4th is the busiest at animal shelters for lost and found pets. “The thunderous noise from firework displays often frightens and disorients pets. They’ll do anything to get away from that noise,” says Amanda Coburn, VHS Director of Advancement. “Even the most social, easygoing pets are often affected. And sometimes it also happens to pets as they get older who may not have reacted as much in the past.”
When fireworks begin, dogs have been known to jump fences, dig out of their yards, break chains, and even bust through glass windows because of their fear. When pets are left alone to panic while owners are at holiday celebrations, ordinarily well-behaved pets may become destructive and unpredictable.
How to Keep Pets Calm During Fireworks
- Leave pets at home and inside. Fireworks can be terrifying to pets, even pets who are accustomed to being around crowds and commotion. Do not take them to crowded celebrations with you – they are often not permitted anyway!
- Create a home sanctuary. Whether you’re home or not, set up 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.
- Consult a veterinarian for pets with anxiety. Reach out well before the Fourth of July to seek out potential medications for lowering pets’ stress level if this is a known issue. (Do not wait until the day before!)
- Wrap the pet in a Thundershirt. Similar to weighted blankets for humans, Thundershirts are a sort of security “swaddle” for pets. They are sold at most pet stores in various sizes!
What Happens If a Pet DOES Get Lost?
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- Identification is essential. Updated identification is critical to ensuring lost pets are reunited with their families. There are 2 very important ways to keep identification on your pet:
- A properly-fitting collar WITH an ID tag! The ID tag should include at least one current phone number, preferably two, along with your pet’s name.
For pets who do not have ID tags, the Vanderburgh Humane Society sells engraveable MyFamily Pet ID tags in their lobby during business hours! (Shown at right.) Tags range from $10-$20 (plus tax) and come in a variety of designs. Tags take only 2 minutes to engrave!
- A microchip! Microchips greatly increase your chances of getting your beloved pet home safely and promptly if someone finds them. Make sure that all of your contact information is up-to-date with the microchip company. (You can use a universal registry site like make www.petmicrochiplookup.org to check your pet’s chip if you have the number.) Put your pet’s microchip number as well as the name of the chip company andtheir phone number in your phone now so you have it handy in an emergency!
For pets who are not yet microchipped, Evansville Animal Care & Control offers this service during business hours for $25. It is a simple insertion with a small needle and takes just a few moments.
- Notify Everyone! If your pet is missing, quickly find recent photos of them.
o Share those photos on social media (make sure the posts are public so they can be shared.)
o Post them in the Evansville Lost Pets 2.0 Facebook group.
o Utilize online platforms like Nextdoor, Pawboost, and Petco Love Lost.
o Make some quick flyers to post in your neighborhood and hand some out to your Amazon & USPS carriers.
o Notify your pet’s microchip company that they are missing.
o Lastly, check local shelters in person every day. Things are very busy in shelters, especially after the 4th of July. Keep checking!
Additional 4th of July Safety Tips
- Do not leave fireworks out where your pet can eat them. Whether lit or unlit, fireworks are made of toxic materials that will make your pet sick!
- Use caution with pool chemicals. Many common pool treatments are poisonous to animals!
- Grapes/raisins, onions/garlic, and peanut butter sweetened with xylitol are all harmful to dogs. Be sure your pet is not getting table scraps at family barbecues & gatherings.
- NEVER leave your pet in a vehicle, even for a few minutes. Temperatures rise much faster inside cars even with the windows down. Dogs (and children!) die every year in hot cars.
Let’s make this a safe and happy Independence Day for people and pets by starting with prevention!
The Vanderburgh Humane Society is CLOSED on Friday, July 4th in observance of the holiday. Regular business hours resume on Saturday, July 5th from 12-6.
