IVINS, Utah (ABC4 News) – The American Kennel Club says more pets go missing July 4th and 5th than any other time of the year. Loud noises and bright lights from fireworks can send your pets into a panic this holiday weekend, and if you’re not careful, they might run away hoping to escape the noise.
“Think of them kind of as a small child,” Santa Clara-Ivins animal control manager Bailee Mabe said. “They get scared of a thunderstorm and they run into Mom and Dad, and pets go through the same thing.”
Staff at Ivins Animal Shelter see an increase in take by thirty percent between July 3rd and July 5th, with many pets becoming anxious and frightened by fireworks shows, but they say there are many things pet owners can do to help.
Before fireworks begin at night, Mabe recommends taking your pet out and playing with them, walking them, and wearing them out so they’re more likely to be calm. When it comes time for fireworks, keep them at home in a quiet and comfortable place and give them their favorite treats.
“Bring them into your home or somewhere where they feel completely safe, surrounding them with blankets or something where they feel they are in a place where nothing can get them,” added Mabe.
Only twenty-two percent of lost dogs and less than 2 percent of cats entering shelters are reunited with their families, according to a study published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association.
If your pet happens to run away, call your local animal control agency or police department as soon as possible.
