CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Many Americans are looking forward to a more normal Fourth of July after the pandemic canceled so many of last year’s festivities.
More than half of U.S. adults plan to watch fireworks this year, according to a survey by the online travel news hub, The Vacationer.
But chances are your pet is not as much of a fan of fireworks as you are. Experts say it’s important to keep your furry friends in mind this weekend.
Retired veterinarian Dr. Judy Morgan says just about everything about fireworks bothers pets.
“The noise, the lights, the flashing, the vibrations. It’s a problem for all of our pets. And cats tend to just go hide and they don’t show it as much as our dogs — it’s really a problem for them.
But Dr. Morgan says there are things pet owners can do to keep them calm during the chaos.
“One of the things that you need to do is find a safe zone in the house,” she said. “You want to find an interior room or a basement room with no windows, or somewhere where you have blackout shades so that they can’t see those flashing lights.”
Morgan said the worst thing you possibly do: take your pet to an event where fireworks are being set off.
“A lot of these animals are really, really stressed by this. The worst thing you can do is actually take your pets to a fireworks event. You don’t want to do that. It kind of sounds similar to the advice they give people during a storm: get to an interior room of the house with no windows.”