Animal Welfare League of Arlington urges residents to follow Independence Day pet safety tips
The 4th of July can be one of the most dangerous days of the year for pets. From matches and lighter fluid to barbecue scraps and beer, common ways to celebrate can often cause pets to run away, suffer an accident or even die. Festivities can be hazardous and fireworks can be scary for four-legged friends.
“Dogs have acute hearing—far more sensitive than human hearing – so firework explosions, excited voices, visual stimulation and smells can panic dogs causing them to be fearful, which can activate their fight or flight response,” said Alice Burton, Chief Animal Control Officer. “For their own safety this holiday, indoor-outdoor cats should be kept indoors and when outside, dogs should be kept on a leash.”
While pets are considered by many to be part of the family and it may seem like a fun idea to incorporate your pet into 4th of July festivities, it can actually cause them great stress. Many animals hurt themselves finding a safe place to hide or run to. Dogs that are let outside off-leash to relieve themselves can have a tendency to bolt. Here are some tips for how to keep pets safe this Independence Day.
- Leave them at home inside. Fireworks, crowds and fanfare can be stressful for pets causing them to panic or run-off. Leave them in a safe area with a television or radio playing to mask frightening sounds.
- Alcoholic drinks poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become dangerously intoxicated, go into a coma or in severe cases, die from respiratory failure.
- Do not apply sunscreen or insect repellent that is not specifically indicated for animals. Ingestion can cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. Deet, a common insecticide may cause neurological issues.
- Keep lighter fluid and matches away from pets. Chlorates, a chemical substance found in some matches, if ingested, can cause difficulty breathing, damage blood cells or even cause kidney disease. Lighter fluid can cause skin irritation, respiratory and gastric problems.
- Citronella and insect coils harm pets. Insect repellants are irritating toxins to pets. Inhalation can cause severe respiratory illness such as pneumonia, which can harm a pet’s nervous system.
- Resist feeding table food. A change in diet can give a pet severe indigestion and diarrhea. Foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes, raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
- Keep pets away from glow jewelry. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling, gastrointestinal irritation and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing the pieces of plastic.
- Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) provides animal adoption and community programs to the northern Virginia and D.C. metropolitan area, as well as animal rescue and control services within Arlington County. For more than 65 years AWLA has remained committed to its mission to improve the lives of animals through sheltering, community services and humane education.
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