Fireworks and Furry Friends at Richland Chambers Lake
Many people enjoy the booming sounds and flashing colors of fireworks, but fireworks expose animals – not just our pets, but also wildlife and livestock – to immense stress, anxiety and fear! Often times they take a long time to recover from this. Sometimes just one negative experience of fireworks can be enough to trigger a noise phobia in your pet that will last a lifetime. Sounds are simply much louder to dogs and cats than they are to us.
Did you know.....
The average dog’s hearing is four times more acute than a human’s, and cats can be even more noise-sensitive than dogs! And to animals, the flashes of light produced by fireworks seem just as threatening as the noises. The overall effect is comparable to, but the impact is more overwhelming than, the thunderclaps and lightning of thunderstorms, which often provoke a fear response in animals (astraphobia). The casings and heavy metals that are littered by fireworks are often mistakenly consumed by wildlife. Many of these materials are either indigestible, or toxic to animals!
Keep your pets safe and less stressed by....
Making a "safe space" filled with blankets and pillows for your pet to "escape" the noise and flashes. Closing windows and curtains to muffle the sound and flashes of fireworks. Playing calm music or turn on the TV to mask the firework sounds and ignore the firework noises yourself. Giving comfort to your pet when they seek reassurance from you. Informing your neighbors, who have pets, that you are planning on shooting fireworks and when, so they can prepare their pets. Making sure your pet has their collar on with a current ID tag and updated microchip in case of escape.
With a small amount of prep work, you can enjoy this national holiday in style, while ensuring that your pet's and safe and healthy!
See you on the water!
-The Teel Team
Categories
Recent Posts
