Keeping your pets safe during fireworks

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM ) –Over the Fourth of July holiday there are always a lot of dogs who run away from their homes due to fireworks.

On June 15th, dog owner Janice Dooley faced the unimaginable when her dog Bruce ran away.

“Bruce was let outside. We have a fence in the backyard, and we didn’t know fireworks would be going off in the middle of the week and I was working. My son let him out and went to get them and he was gone,” Dooley said.

Bruce was missing for four days. Many members in the Elmira community helped Dooley look for Bruce and she continues to be grateful. He was found by another dog in the neighborhood. Bruce has a few cuts on his body but is slowly recovering. And all of this began because of fireworks.

“He noticed fireworks right up over here. Couldn’t figure out what happened to him, how he got out we still don’t know and we spent the next four hot humid days, searching day and night for him,” Dooley added.

Now that Bruce is home and recovering, Dooley hopes she can help other families so that they don’t have to go through the same thing.

“When there’s fireworks turn your TV up, turn your air conditioner on if they have to go out still put them on a leash if you have a fenced in backyard because they get scared and they run and it’s heartbreaking because you feel so helpless you can’t do anything.”

Emma Gesiriech from Animal Care Sanctuary says there are many ways to make your pet comfortable during firework events.

“And that’s really just making sure that they are comfortable and safe and that they have a place to retreat to if they feel like they need that safe place as well,” Gesiriech said.

Gesiriech added that you can even prepare ahead of time to make your pets more comfortable. It all depends on how your animal feels and will react.

“If you know your dog or cat is going to be extra anxious or scared on a holiday like Fourth of July, you can kind of prepare them for that day by offering them like calming chews a couple weeks before the event or if it’s going to be really severe, you can even talk to your veterinarian about a one-time dose or kind of just like taking the edge off for that night”

The best way to protect your pets is to be with them when fireworks start. If you can’t do that, you should do what you can to help them feel safe.

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