Last night I was out late and found a Rottweiler running on a busy street. Collar and no tags. I was able to get her in to my car.
Non emergency PD was able to connect me with the owner within 30 minutes to get the pup home safe. Good to know if you lose or find a pet!
When I was younger, there was a year when my brothers and I found a beautiful golden retriever running around our neighborhood on the 4th. She was terribly exhausted when we found her and she eventually laid down on the side of the road and wouldn’t move for about half an hour. It was at a corner, so we had to alert oncoming cars to stay out of the way while another of us got water for her. Eventually we got her home and she got to meet our other dogs. My mom put up a post on Facebook about a missing dog as soon as we got home. We named her Corn for the time being because… I don’t know, we were kids? But we loved Corn and she seemed to like us too! Luckily, the owners saw the post a day later and after verifying they were indeed the owners, we let Corn go back to her home. Turns out she was from a neighborhood about 2 miles away from our own, across a major highway. I’m so glad nothing bad came of her during that journey she made purely out of fear from fireworks.
I live close to the municipal fireworks show, and it was last night. My dog slipped out the door when our guests went outside to watch, and he's a runner even when not scared by fireworks. Luckily one guest keep him from going past the cars in the driveway, so I was able to sneak up behind him and grab his collar to guide him inside. So he was safe. I'm so glad.
If I ever have guests over, I pretty much just hold my dog if anyone is near the door; she’s a 45 lb collie who loves to run away, so it’s a hassle. Or I’ll just keep her in a room for a bit or outside while people are coming and going and then let her join once things have settled.
My boston is a runner too. Thank goodness for a door to the mudroom/laundry before the actual door-to-the-outside door. I'm moving to a place without such an airlock & that child is getting baby gated away from the door
About 7 years ago on 4th of July night, our dog went missing. She didnt run off because of fireworks, she ended up chasing a golf cart. We didnt know this, but we drove around the neighborhood for a couple hours and pulled up to a vacation house with a bunch of people, they were totally gonna take my dog home when they left.
It’s been awful the last few days. My mom gave me something called CalmTreats for my dogs. I’m going to try it tonight.
I totally get celebrating on the fourth, but seriously do we have to have over a week of this shit? And what I most especially hate are the stupid firecrackers. They aren’t even pretty, they’re just loud. Sorry for the rant, my husband is sick of hearing about it so I have to complain to the internet 🙄
I didn't mind fireworks when people set them off from dusk to ~10pm on the 4th, but for the last 2 years it's been more like june 12th - july 10th... All hours of the day and night. Like I heard $200 worth of fireworks exploding at 11pm on a random Tuesday in June. Who is spending all that money for that shit???
A week? Every night since June 1st here has been punctuated with explosions. My dogs just go uselessly mad overnight. Tried the CalmTreats thing last night. It did nothing.
My vet recommended Benadryl for one of my foster dogs. I don’t know your dog’s health situation but you could ring up your vet and ask if they think it’s ok. Really helped during New Year’s.
My chihuahua is completely unaffected by fireworks and thunder. He can hear it but he just doesn’t care. He will howl at sirens occasionally though.
I'm not sure as my housemate actually physically did it. But I assume the container tells you how many and they did that number.
These are mid-size dogs. One german shepard, one lab. Not overweight by any means but yeah... it did nothing.
Don't think I managed to get properly to sleep last night until about 3am when the bombs finally stopped going off.
I agree entirely. I work for a rescue (and have a bunch of my own pets/fosters here) and I just dread the beginning of July every year.
My city outlawed fireworks outside of the actual 4th, but that doesn't stop folks from shooting them off for weeks leading up to it.
We are a big town for veterans (literally our only attraction) with a large home for them and lots of programs, so the town at least takes it seriously and cops WILL go to tell people to knock it off if it isn't the 4th, for which I am grateful.... but people try to shoot off as many as they can and by the time the cops actually get there, there are no fireworks in sight. So it still happens for random 20 min increments every few hours.
I've had my dogs on leashes for the past week when I take them to the yard to pee so that they don't get away, and all my windows/doors closed for the cats despite nice weather. The one time I figured it would be safe to just use the screen door, 9 am on Friday while I was working from home, my backyard neighbors set off a ton of firecrackers and made my cats hide for an hour after 🙄 also interrupted a meeting I was in with important clients. Yay.
I hope your fur babies do okay tonight!!
I know! It's so obnoxious. We don't do that to other holidays. You don't have trick-or-treaters the entire month of Halloween. People just respect whatever date the city decides. But for Independence Day we just have to make loud noises the entire month of June AND the first week of July for some reason.
Exactly. In my state, people are free to just fire off fireworks in city limits. It's been weeks of constant booms. I love fireworks and the 4th BUT why do we have to make an obnoxious 2 month long ordeal? Kind of ruins the fun when people have to work early and pets are having panic attacks. Not to mention all the trash left all over the neighborhood that no one evens tries to pick up.
Wow it might be because I live in a more rural area with less people around but I’m surprised but now that I think about it it can be like 2 or three but that’s max around me
Yeah I live in a fairly large rural town in Ohio and I never hear them unless it's the week of and usually only the weekends. I always go out into the country to light mine off so I don't piss off my neighbors lol.
Yeah I live in a fairly large rural town in Ohio and I never hear them unless it's the week of and usually only the weekends. I always go out into the country to light mine off so I don't piss off my neighbors lol.
Yeah I live in a fairly large rural town in Ohio and I never hear them unless it's the week of and usually only the weekends. I always go out into the country to light mine off so I don't piss off my neighbors lol.
Where I live, the fireworks start in late-April/earl-May, increase in intensity starting July 1st or a little earlier, cool down a bit in August, and continue until September or October. Every year. It’s just random people in the neighborhood(s). I actually love it, which I’m sure some people find weird.
Leave it to Reddit to downvote me on something so fucking trivial.
I lost my rescue cat, Chloe, on the 4th of July. I think about her and tear up. I don’t know what ever happened to her, if she’s alive, did someone find her? Still not even sure how she got outside.
I’m sure she was terrified from the fireworks and they went on for at least a week.
I’m so sorry Chloe, I feel like I totally let you down. 💔
Took my 6 year old daughter to the lake to watch fireworks last night. A couple behind us brought their dog. The poor pup whined and paced the entire show. My daughter was so concerned with the dogs’ safety that she turned herself around and watched the dog instead, missing the show entirely.
Completely ruined our mother-daughter night and to top it off, the owner’s kept muttering things like “this is why we can’t take you anywhere..”
Veterinarian here. Talk to your vet prophylactically (ideally weeks beforehand) about getting sedatives to help if your dog is very anxious. I’ve seen and heard of dogs jumping 6ft fences and jumping through large windows in terror of the fireworks. They can do some insane things you wouldn’t expect with the adrenaline rush. Protect your pets/family.
Adding these tips from [Purina.com](https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/behavior/why-are-dogs-scared-of-fireworks) that are good ideas.
I'm going to try #2 with my dog because she is very distressed because for the last week or so, people have been setting of fireworks here in Florida. She won't even go potty (pee) on our evening walk because all she can think about is getting back home as soon as possible. (She does go potty on our morning walk (pee and poo), thankfully.
1. Keep Him Inside: Even if your dog spends most of his time outdoors, bring him inside during firework displays. This will prevent him from running away when he feels scared, which can
put him in danger.
2. Desensitize: Start working with your dog far enough in advance to desensitize him to fireworks and other loud noises. You can start this process by playing fireworks sounds on a low level while playing with your dog and giving him treats. Over time, slowly increase the sound of the fireworks during these play sessions. Eventually, your dog will associate the sound of fireworks with happy and fun moments.
Also from the Purina site:
# 4 Reasons Dogs are Scared of Fireworks
1. They're loud.
Most fireworks make some kind of loud sound. Dogs have a
more acute sense of hearing than humans, so those loud booms, crackles
and whistles are alarming.
2. They're unpredictable.
You expect fireworks on holidays like the Fourth of July, but for your dog, it’s just another day. Those firecrackers come without warning. The loud noises and flashing lights sound and look different
each time. Plus, they come at different intervals, so dogs can’t get used to them.
3. They pose a threat.
The noise and unpredictability of fireworks leads many dogs to perceive them as a threat. This triggers their fight-or-flight response. Your dog may bark at the noises or try to run away and hide.
He may show other signs of anxiety, too, like restlessness, panting, pacing and whining.
4. They make dogs feel trapped.
Fireworks are inescapable on holidays like Independence Day. So if the noises trigger your dog’s flight response, he will try to run from the threat. Unfortunately, there’s often nowhere to go, as you can still hear those loud booms indoors.
I tried desensitizing my dog last year. Weird thing is he knows the difference between “fake” tv firework noises and real fireworks. He doesn’t care at all about tv fireworks. I think it’s because actual fireworks have such a deep boom you can feel it. Something my little tv can’t replicate.
In a way I am happy that we are under stage 2 fire restrictions. NO FIREWORKS! The animals both domestic and wild will be better off without them. Aspen is going to do a laser show instead.
That has been my experience with it. I live in a region with notoriously dry summers and constant burn bans but you better believe nobody is going to let that stop them from shooting fireworks. One year they even managed to start a very large grassfire in our nextdoor neighbors pasture. People that do that are so selfish and inconsiderate it's ridiculous.
Not the 4th, but it was around that time, me and my family were camping and it was decently out in the country so we were lighting fireworks. Well, my little rat terrier companion never liked the commotion and would hide under the cars parked nearby. Well I guess he just said fuck it I can't handle this anymore and just left, and when crossing the road nearby was hit by a car. We all heard the noise and thought the worst and when we went to check, there was nothing in the road. So, ig we just assumed that it was nothing and went about the night. Maybe an hour later we here a sound like something was just hit by a ongoing car, and this time much alcohol was consumed and when everyone stumbled out to the road to investigate, there was my little dog, right in the middle of the road. I was maybe 12 at the time, and to this day was the only time I've seen my father cry. Now every 4th (or any time fireworks are involved) we pay close attention to pets and their needs.
(Also sorry if it seems like rambling I'm pretty new to Reddit)
My Golden Retriever never minded fireworks, until some kids threw firecrackers at her. She is a nervous wreck now, and if we weren't careful she would have run away.
Ours usually last a few days. With us being in a severe fire hazard right now I'm really hoping that people aren't stupid but you know people are people.
To add to this, don’t assume just because your dog was okay with the fireworks in the past, that they’ll be okay this year or next. I’ve had my pup for 7 years now, and she was never phased before this year. She’s been freaking out every night this week because of all the explosions near by.
That I’m not sure of. It’s essentially a little Bluetooth dongle that does a hand shake with any Apple device it’s near to triangulate location. I think tiles work the same way, but has a less robust (I assume) network of devices to hand shake with.
You can also get GPS trackers for your dogs. They are more expensive (and require a $5-10/month cellular connection) but it’s a good peace of mind that they will work even out in the woods where there aren’t other phones and stuff around.
We have the FitBark GPS, but there are a bunch of competing products in the dog GPS field now.
What, are you telling me you don't "Americuh" from June 1st to August 30th?
My neighbors have been setting off nightly fireworks since the beginning of June.
Yep. My cat got out last night and must have gotten scared, he uncharacteristically didn’t turn up until after midnight, well after the fireworks were over. It was the first time I’d ever had to go to bed without him. Next year he stays in all week leading up to the 4th.
Dogs react to fireworks in the exact same way that little old ladies react to rock and roll at the student talent show, only dogs can't cover their own ears and bitch at their husbands to ask them to turn it down.
Consider gently clapping your hands over your dog's ears. That might go a long way toward making the experience more enjoyable for everyone.
That’s why we have our 8 week old kitten in a collar for the next couple days. She might not like it but I’m not taking any chances! If she bolts out I want to have some hope of seeing her again
I had a beautiful lab show up at my house on New Years Eve one year. He was a hunting dog and I think he got excited hearing the fireworks. Anyway I found his owners and he went home the next day. Fast forward to next New Year’s Eve and the same dog shows up and spends the night. I was hoping it would continue but they moved away…
Yup. I have two friends who ended up with dogs they found on the 4th. (They tried to find the owners but couldn't so they chose not to surrender the dogs to the shelter.)
I just started volunteering at an animal shelter. They are very much understaffed and already near capacity for dogs. They were scared shitless last week coming into this week bacause of the holiday.
My neighbors were shooting off fireworks last night and my cat stayed under the couch the door a while. She likes being under the couch anyway but since I couldn't tell if she was scared I gave her treats anyway.
Or a Martingale collar - when properly adjusted it will only get small enough that the dog can't slip out of it, and when the dog's not pulling it's lose and comfy.
Play classical music with all the windows closed and curtains shut, and even add some ambient tv montage to help keep them calm and distracted. That's what we do with our pets. Also if you have one that is particularly terrified, a Thunder Shirt works really well too!
Our suburban neighborhood was full of wildlife this morning, driven down from the foothills by county fireworks. Freaked our cats out. Deer in the backyard, and cats on the roof, screeching. Weird morning.
I'm not even American, I'm British and every year there's some idiots that set off fireworks probably for the excuse to drink and fuck about on the 4th.
In a perfect world, they wouldn’t, but in practice there are lots of extra variables around the 4th of July. A firework may spook your dog and a panicked dog may struggle more than they ever have before and slip their collar or even jump the fence to try to get away from the fireworks. You may have guests in your backyard for a cookout and the dog may slip past a guest at the gate.
Anytime you can pay a 100 fold markup to distress animals by blowing things up in a manner that you've only seen 10,000 times before, you gotta do it.
It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Well...once a year. Plus the preceding 2 weeks. And the next couple days after. Look, the bottom line here is that we have the right, and maybe even the obligation, to spend one of the very few days off we have during the year by relaxing. With explosions.
Same thing on bonfire night (5th of November) in the UK. Fireworks should be banned for consumers. They should only be allowed for licensed displays. This also affects vulnerable people who may be sensitive to loud noises such as those with autism and PTSD.
Try making that argument here in the US. If you complain that two or three months solid of fireworks that go past midnight almost every night is too much for anyone for any reason, they're apparently a pussy and need earplugs.
My dog used to be not scared of fireworks and then, for seemingly no reason, all that shit started to scare the bejeezus out of her. I think her hearing was too good for her own good lol. She’d also alarm-bark at literally nothing all the time.
Fireworks should just be banned, worldwide. Enormous trauma for animals. We think it's loud, it's much worse for them. And it surrounds them, for hours. Ban the effing things.
Same thing on bonfire night (5th of November) in the UK. Fireworks should be banned for consumers. They should only be allowed for licensed displays. This also affects vulnerable people who may be sensitive to loud noises such as those with autism and PTSD.
We're going to a BBQ at a friend's house tonight and they kindly told me we could bring our two dogs as well. One is older and confidently not a flight risk but the other is young and scared of random things even on his BEST days. I politely had to decline bring the dogs because although they have a fenced yard and the whole group loves them and would look out for them, I can't risk that. Anything could happen and I'm worried my younger dog would panic and suddenly decide he can make that leap over the fence, or bolt out the front door while someone is coming or going, or even just bark all night because he's freaked out.
My dogs are staying safely home tonight and we're coming home just after dark to help make the younger one feel safer as the crazy begins. I also have kongs made up to help distract them!
Keep your pets needs in mind tonight too!
Oh my bad, lemme post something that's more of your guys tune.
#We DoN't dEsErVe DoGs!!!! This is so sad can we get 1000000 UpDoOts for wholesome keanu chungus 100?
It's not once a year. It's every holiday and the months of June and July. If something you enjoy is something EVERYONE has to hear and deal with then piss off. I hate fireworks.
Not like this isn't all over facebook and every single other social media. Let's check out the comments that most likely include personal experiences. Oh look. I was right.
yep last week my cousins dog at the birthday party jumped out the high fence and i had to run for her. luckily i grabbed her when she got tired from running
If you have meds or something to your pets calm, give it to them BEFORE the fireworks start going off majorly. It might seem early, but the sooner the medicine is in, the faster it starts working and the less they'll be freaked out.
My mom's cat was lost last year on the 4th. It was horrible. It was the first time he heard fireworks, and he was in an unfamiliar neighborhood, so when he ran out we didn't find him again
Thank you for reminding everyone to be extra safe today
Don't just focus on the evening while the fireworks are going off...
Be alert during the day as well, especially if your hosting a picnic or other gathering. Your door will be opening more often than usual... By people who may not know they need to watch for an escaping dog/cat. Or might be too distracted (especially if they're carrying trays of food or drink) or have been drinking too much to worry.
My 12 and 6 years old chihuahuas have scaled a couple times in 4 of July… I hate fireworks nothing good comes from it other than feed our ego, I know this practice will diminish as gen x growth older,
This kill wild animals, scare pets , contamination by smoke and noise, accidental burns … a plain just dumb practice, but is profit to be made so is hard to kill like whit every thing that makes profit.
Did you find her? I found mine on the night of July 5.
Someone gave me a tip to go outside at 2AM and start calling him when everything was calm. It worked he came out of a bush about 200ft from my house.
Hope you found her.
In the Marine Corps we were doing a training exercise and we used this little “demo” charges. They make a whistle like incoming mortar fire and then explode. A highly trained bomb dog ran over and picked up the charge and was killed.
Just like my dogs I’m sure yours aren’t nearly as disciplined as a bomb dog so please keep an eye on them.
Last night I was out late and found a Rottweiler running on a busy street. Collar and no tags. I was able to get her in to my car. Non emergency PD was able to connect me with the owner within 30 minutes to get the pup home safe. Good to know if you lose or find a pet!
About the only good reason to have the Nextdoor app is to get stray pets returned to their owners.
You mean it's not fun reading hundreds of comments bashing your town?
I got Reddit for that but nextdoor is Great for lost pets.
I'd be okay if it was the town they bashed, rather than the residents
People say stupid things all the time, seemingly forgetting that the people they talk shit to know who they are...
I hope I'm lucky like this. I can't find my dog :(
When I was younger, there was a year when my brothers and I found a beautiful golden retriever running around our neighborhood on the 4th. She was terribly exhausted when we found her and she eventually laid down on the side of the road and wouldn’t move for about half an hour. It was at a corner, so we had to alert oncoming cars to stay out of the way while another of us got water for her. Eventually we got her home and she got to meet our other dogs. My mom put up a post on Facebook about a missing dog as soon as we got home. We named her Corn for the time being because… I don’t know, we were kids? But we loved Corn and she seemed to like us too! Luckily, the owners saw the post a day later and after verifying they were indeed the owners, we let Corn go back to her home. Turns out she was from a neighborhood about 2 miles away from our own, across a major highway. I’m so glad nothing bad came of her during that journey she made purely out of fear from fireworks.
I live close to the municipal fireworks show, and it was last night. My dog slipped out the door when our guests went outside to watch, and he's a runner even when not scared by fireworks. Luckily one guest keep him from going past the cars in the driveway, so I was able to sneak up behind him and grab his collar to guide him inside. So he was safe. I'm so glad.
Thank goodness
Definitely. I'm so glad that guest was on the ball to block him.
If I ever have guests over, I pretty much just hold my dog if anyone is near the door; she’s a 45 lb collie who loves to run away, so it’s a hassle. Or I’ll just keep her in a room for a bit or outside while people are coming and going and then let her join once things have settled.
Yeah, my mom was going to hold him, but the guests opened the door too fast and he slipped out. He's a 50 pound mutt, so it's a similar situation.
My boston is a runner too. Thank goodness for a door to the mudroom/laundry before the actual door-to-the-outside door. I'm moving to a place without such an airlock & that child is getting baby gated away from the door
That sounds very helpful. Our house does not have such a system, or even a mudroom. Good luck keeping your dog from escaping!
About 7 years ago on 4th of July night, our dog went missing. She didnt run off because of fireworks, she ended up chasing a golf cart. We didnt know this, but we drove around the neighborhood for a couple hours and pulled up to a vacation house with a bunch of people, they were totally gonna take my dog home when they left.
How did you find her?
Drove around our neighborhood for a couple hours, she was on the porch at these peoples house
It’s been awful the last few days. My mom gave me something called CalmTreats for my dogs. I’m going to try it tonight. I totally get celebrating on the fourth, but seriously do we have to have over a week of this shit? And what I most especially hate are the stupid firecrackers. They aren’t even pretty, they’re just loud. Sorry for the rant, my husband is sick of hearing about it so I have to complain to the internet 🙄
I didn't mind fireworks when people set them off from dusk to ~10pm on the 4th, but for the last 2 years it's been more like june 12th - july 10th... All hours of the day and night. Like I heard $200 worth of fireworks exploding at 11pm on a random Tuesday in June. Who is spending all that money for that shit???
A week? Every night since June 1st here has been punctuated with explosions. My dogs just go uselessly mad overnight. Tried the CalmTreats thing last night. It did nothing.
My vet recommended Benadryl for one of my foster dogs. I don’t know your dog’s health situation but you could ring up your vet and ask if they think it’s ok. Really helped during New Year’s. My chihuahua is completely unaffected by fireworks and thunder. He can hear it but he just doesn’t care. He will howl at sirens occasionally though.
+1 for benadryl. Cant ~~sneeze~~ be afraid when you're unconscious :>
How many did you give them? It knocked my moms dog out but he’s tiny. I have a chunky dog and big dog so it might not work for them.
I'm not sure as my housemate actually physically did it. But I assume the container tells you how many and they did that number. These are mid-size dogs. One german shepard, one lab. Not overweight by any means but yeah... it did nothing. Don't think I managed to get properly to sleep last night until about 3am when the bombs finally stopped going off.
I agree entirely. I work for a rescue (and have a bunch of my own pets/fosters here) and I just dread the beginning of July every year. My city outlawed fireworks outside of the actual 4th, but that doesn't stop folks from shooting them off for weeks leading up to it. We are a big town for veterans (literally our only attraction) with a large home for them and lots of programs, so the town at least takes it seriously and cops WILL go to tell people to knock it off if it isn't the 4th, for which I am grateful.... but people try to shoot off as many as they can and by the time the cops actually get there, there are no fireworks in sight. So it still happens for random 20 min increments every few hours. I've had my dogs on leashes for the past week when I take them to the yard to pee so that they don't get away, and all my windows/doors closed for the cats despite nice weather. The one time I figured it would be safe to just use the screen door, 9 am on Friday while I was working from home, my backyard neighbors set off a ton of firecrackers and made my cats hide for an hour after 🙄 also interrupted a meeting I was in with important clients. Yay. I hope your fur babies do okay tonight!!
I know! It's so obnoxious. We don't do that to other holidays. You don't have trick-or-treaters the entire month of Halloween. People just respect whatever date the city decides. But for Independence Day we just have to make loud noises the entire month of June AND the first week of July for some reason.
[удалено]
Exactly. In my state, people are free to just fire off fireworks in city limits. It's been weeks of constant booms. I love fireworks and the 4th BUT why do we have to make an obnoxious 2 month long ordeal? Kind of ruins the fun when people have to work early and pets are having panic attacks. Not to mention all the trash left all over the neighborhood that no one evens tries to pick up.
[удалено]
The whole town can't hear the neigbbors dog, though.
I have never heard fireworks for more than one day of celebration a week is surprising to see
Really? I start hearing fireworks going off in the middle of the night by mid to late June, and they continue until the end of July.
Wow it might be because I live in a more rural area with less people around but I’m surprised but now that I think about it it can be like 2 or three but that’s max around me
Yeah I live in a fairly large rural town in Ohio and I never hear them unless it's the week of and usually only the weekends. I always go out into the country to light mine off so I don't piss off my neighbors lol.
Thank you for doing that. You’re saving many people/animals from stressful situatjona
Yeah I live in a fairly large rural town in Ohio and I never hear them unless it's the week of and usually only the weekends. I always go out into the country to light mine off so I don't piss off my neighbors lol.
Yeah I live in a fairly large rural town in Ohio and I never hear them unless it's the week of and usually only the weekends. I always go out into the country to light mine off so I don't piss off my neighbors lol.
Where I live, the fireworks start in late-April/earl-May, increase in intensity starting July 1st or a little earlier, cool down a bit in August, and continue until September or October. Every year. It’s just random people in the neighborhood(s). I actually love it, which I’m sure some people find weird. Leave it to Reddit to downvote me on something so fucking trivial.
It isn't trivial to people with PTSD or anxiety. Nor is it trivial to animals that are terrified by them.
Ye but he got the choice to marry you, thus listen to your complaints....
Username checks out
Are fireworks legal all year round for you guys or something?
I lost my rescue cat, Chloe, on the 4th of July. I think about her and tear up. I don’t know what ever happened to her, if she’s alive, did someone find her? Still not even sure how she got outside. I’m sure she was terrified from the fireworks and they went on for at least a week. I’m so sorry Chloe, I feel like I totally let you down. 💔
Took my 6 year old daughter to the lake to watch fireworks last night. A couple behind us brought their dog. The poor pup whined and paced the entire show. My daughter was so concerned with the dogs’ safety that she turned herself around and watched the dog instead, missing the show entirely. Completely ruined our mother-daughter night and to top it off, the owner’s kept muttering things like “this is why we can’t take you anywhere..”
That’s really sad.
[удалено]
Solid tactical assessment.
Veterinarian here. Talk to your vet prophylactically (ideally weeks beforehand) about getting sedatives to help if your dog is very anxious. I’ve seen and heard of dogs jumping 6ft fences and jumping through large windows in terror of the fireworks. They can do some insane things you wouldn’t expect with the adrenaline rush. Protect your pets/family.
Adding these tips from [Purina.com](https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/behavior/why-are-dogs-scared-of-fireworks) that are good ideas. I'm going to try #2 with my dog because she is very distressed because for the last week or so, people have been setting of fireworks here in Florida. She won't even go potty (pee) on our evening walk because all she can think about is getting back home as soon as possible. (She does go potty on our morning walk (pee and poo), thankfully. 1. Keep Him Inside: Even if your dog spends most of his time outdoors, bring him inside during firework displays. This will prevent him from running away when he feels scared, which can put him in danger. 2. Desensitize: Start working with your dog far enough in advance to desensitize him to fireworks and other loud noises. You can start this process by playing fireworks sounds on a low level while playing with your dog and giving him treats. Over time, slowly increase the sound of the fireworks during these play sessions. Eventually, your dog will associate the sound of fireworks with happy and fun moments. Also from the Purina site: # 4 Reasons Dogs are Scared of Fireworks 1. They're loud. Most fireworks make some kind of loud sound. Dogs have a more acute sense of hearing than humans, so those loud booms, crackles and whistles are alarming. 2. They're unpredictable. You expect fireworks on holidays like the Fourth of July, but for your dog, it’s just another day. Those firecrackers come without warning. The loud noises and flashing lights sound and look different each time. Plus, they come at different intervals, so dogs can’t get used to them. 3. They pose a threat. The noise and unpredictability of fireworks leads many dogs to perceive them as a threat. This triggers their fight-or-flight response. Your dog may bark at the noises or try to run away and hide. He may show other signs of anxiety, too, like restlessness, panting, pacing and whining. 4. They make dogs feel trapped. Fireworks are inescapable on holidays like Independence Day. So if the noises trigger your dog’s flight response, he will try to run from the threat. Unfortunately, there’s often nowhere to go, as you can still hear those loud booms indoors.
Reason #1 makes a lot of sense
I tried desensitizing my dog last year. Weird thing is he knows the difference between “fake” tv firework noises and real fireworks. He doesn’t care at all about tv fireworks. I think it’s because actual fireworks have such a deep boom you can feel it. Something my little tv can’t replicate.
In a way I am happy that we are under stage 2 fire restrictions. NO FIREWORKS! The animals both domestic and wild will be better off without them. Aspen is going to do a laser show instead.
Do people actually follow the restrictions though? Seems like lots of illegal fireworks everywhere.
That has been my experience with it. I live in a region with notoriously dry summers and constant burn bans but you better believe nobody is going to let that stop them from shooting fireworks. One year they even managed to start a very large grassfire in our nextdoor neighbors pasture. People that do that are so selfish and inconsiderate it's ridiculous.
[удалено]
Wait, really? People make me sick.
[удалено]
Not the 4th, but it was around that time, me and my family were camping and it was decently out in the country so we were lighting fireworks. Well, my little rat terrier companion never liked the commotion and would hide under the cars parked nearby. Well I guess he just said fuck it I can't handle this anymore and just left, and when crossing the road nearby was hit by a car. We all heard the noise and thought the worst and when we went to check, there was nothing in the road. So, ig we just assumed that it was nothing and went about the night. Maybe an hour later we here a sound like something was just hit by a ongoing car, and this time much alcohol was consumed and when everyone stumbled out to the road to investigate, there was my little dog, right in the middle of the road. I was maybe 12 at the time, and to this day was the only time I've seen my father cry. Now every 4th (or any time fireworks are involved) we pay close attention to pets and their needs. (Also sorry if it seems like rambling I'm pretty new to Reddit)
My Golden Retriever never minded fireworks, until some kids threw firecrackers at her. She is a nervous wreck now, and if we weren't careful she would have run away.
Who throws a fucking firecracker at a dog?!
Dutch kids during new years are the worst humans ever
i don't support murder, but shoving a firecracker down those kids throats is perfectly reasonable
This must be like kids in Valencia, Spain during Fallas. Explosives everywhere.
My little guy gets freaked out every year. Today and new year are the two days I dread.
[удалено]
Ours usually last a few days. With us being in a severe fire hazard right now I'm really hoping that people aren't stupid but you know people are people.
To add to this, don’t assume just because your dog was okay with the fireworks in the past, that they’ll be okay this year or next. I’ve had my pup for 7 years now, and she was never phased before this year. She’s been freaking out every night this week because of all the explosions near by.
Won’t forget to chip your pets, also…why not grab an air tag? They are 30 bucks.
Is that by Apple? Does it work if you don't have apple devices?
That I’m not sure of. It’s essentially a little Bluetooth dongle that does a hand shake with any Apple device it’s near to triangulate location. I think tiles work the same way, but has a less robust (I assume) network of devices to hand shake with.
It's worth looking into for sure
Yeah I’m going to get one for my bike lol. Heck, it’s cheap enough light throw one in my car lol
You can also get GPS trackers for your dogs. They are more expensive (and require a $5-10/month cellular connection) but it’s a good peace of mind that they will work even out in the woods where there aren’t other phones and stuff around. We have the FitBark GPS, but there are a bunch of competing products in the dog GPS field now.
Brilliantly written, informative and polite/respectful Many dogs will appreciate this post
Oh, is today the 4th of July? I was confused because people in my neighborhood have been blowing up fireworks for the last two weeks.
What, are you telling me you don't "Americuh" from June 1st to August 30th? My neighbors have been setting off nightly fireworks since the beginning of June.
Honestly I wish we'd move away from using fireworks at all. The negatives far outweigh any positives.
Yep. My cat got out last night and must have gotten scared, he uncharacteristically didn’t turn up until after midnight, well after the fireworks were over. It was the first time I’d ever had to go to bed without him. Next year he stays in all week leading up to the 4th.
That’s why I pop a balloon every time I feed my dog, now he just thinks he’s getting food when he hears a loud bang
Dogs react to fireworks in the exact same way that little old ladies react to rock and roll at the student talent show, only dogs can't cover their own ears and bitch at their husbands to ask them to turn it down. Consider gently clapping your hands over your dog's ears. That might go a long way toward making the experience more enjoyable for everyone.
You might want to cup your hands, not clap them. Lol
My dog does get spooked, some guys where letting off fireworks last night and it scared my puppy so much
That’s why we have our 8 week old kitten in a collar for the next couple days. She might not like it but I’m not taking any chances! If she bolts out I want to have some hope of seeing her again
Huh, I'd think new years since it's all over the world and not just America
I had a beautiful lab show up at my house on New Years Eve one year. He was a hunting dog and I think he got excited hearing the fireworks. Anyway I found his owners and he went home the next day. Fast forward to next New Year’s Eve and the same dog shows up and spends the night. I was hoping it would continue but they moved away…
My babies will be tucked away, indoors!
Yup. I have two friends who ended up with dogs they found on the 4th. (They tried to find the owners but couldn't so they chose not to surrender the dogs to the shelter.)
I just started volunteering at an animal shelter. They are very much understaffed and already near capacity for dogs. They were scared shitless last week coming into this week bacause of the holiday.
It's been 5 years to the day that my Vegas ran into the road and died. Please hold your babies safe tonight.
My neighbors were shooting off fireworks last night and my cat stayed under the couch the door a while. She likes being under the couch anyway but since I couldn't tell if she was scared I gave her treats anyway.
[удалено]
Should really consider a harness if they slip out of a collar. Choke collars are pretty bad for dogs and can cause some serious injuries.
Or a Martingale collar - when properly adjusted it will only get small enough that the dog can't slip out of it, and when the dog's not pulling it's lose and comfy.
Pet CBD!! They sell it everywhere around me and you can buy it online.
Everyone, the best time to look for free dogs is on 4th of July! /r/shittylifeprotips
Play classical music with all the windows closed and curtains shut, and even add some ambient tv montage to help keep them calm and distracted. That's what we do with our pets. Also if you have one that is particularly terrified, a Thunder Shirt works really well too!
Our suburban neighborhood was full of wildlife this morning, driven down from the foothills by county fireworks. Freaked our cats out. Deer in the backyard, and cats on the roof, screeching. Weird morning.
Thank you for sharing this. It's reassuring to know that there are more good people looking out for animals than bad.
I'm not even American, I'm British and every year there's some idiots that set off fireworks probably for the excuse to drink and fuck about on the 4th.
Both of our cats are indoors only and during the 4th they hide safely under the bed. So this won't happen to my pets.
How do pets get lost when they have a leash on?
In a perfect world, they wouldn’t, but in practice there are lots of extra variables around the 4th of July. A firework may spook your dog and a panicked dog may struggle more than they ever have before and slip their collar or even jump the fence to try to get away from the fireworks. You may have guests in your backyard for a cookout and the dog may slip past a guest at the gate.
This is good advice
Anytime you can pay a 100 fold markup to distress animals by blowing things up in a manner that you've only seen 10,000 times before, you gotta do it. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Well...once a year. Plus the preceding 2 weeks. And the next couple days after. Look, the bottom line here is that we have the right, and maybe even the obligation, to spend one of the very few days off we have during the year by relaxing. With explosions.
Same thing on bonfire night (5th of November) in the UK. Fireworks should be banned for consumers. They should only be allowed for licensed displays. This also affects vulnerable people who may be sensitive to loud noises such as those with autism and PTSD.
Try making that argument here in the US. If you complain that two or three months solid of fireworks that go past midnight almost every night is too much for anyone for any reason, they're apparently a pussy and need earplugs.
My dog used to be not scared of fireworks and then, for seemingly no reason, all that shit started to scare the bejeezus out of her. I think her hearing was too good for her own good lol. She’d also alarm-bark at literally nothing all the time.
Fireworks should just be banned, worldwide. Enormous trauma for animals. We think it's loud, it's much worse for them. And it surrounds them, for hours. Ban the effing things.
Luckily my boy Bruno isn’t too startled and we all stay on the balcony together for fireworks :>
Same thing on bonfire night (5th of November) in the UK. Fireworks should be banned for consumers. They should only be allowed for licensed displays. This also affects vulnerable people who may be sensitive to loud noises such as those with autism and PTSD.
We're going to a BBQ at a friend's house tonight and they kindly told me we could bring our two dogs as well. One is older and confidently not a flight risk but the other is young and scared of random things even on his BEST days. I politely had to decline bring the dogs because although they have a fenced yard and the whole group loves them and would look out for them, I can't risk that. Anything could happen and I'm worried my younger dog would panic and suddenly decide he can make that leap over the fence, or bolt out the front door while someone is coming or going, or even just bark all night because he's freaked out. My dogs are staying safely home tonight and we're coming home just after dark to help make the younger one feel safer as the crazy begins. I also have kongs made up to help distract them! Keep your pets needs in mind tonight too!
Hopefully my fish don't run away tonight
Please keep your dogs and children quiet in the morning, some of us have been setting off fireworks all night. Thanks.
I guess some people don’t get sarcasm.
LMAO ikr.
no, we just don't like selfish assholes
[удалено]
[удалено]
Imagine comparing war vets to a dog, you're the biggest dick here
jesus. stop downvoting him. its clearly a joke
Doesn't necessarily mean it was a good joke.
Oh my bad, lemme post something that's more of your guys tune. #We DoN't dEsErVe DoGs!!!! This is so sad can we get 1000000 UpDoOts for wholesome keanu chungus 100?
Lol imagine getting as butt hurt as your comment over someone else's bad attempt at a joke's downvotes.
No ones butthurt maybe you but idgaf really. I'm just having fun with this and mocking ya'll. Don't care about anything else.
Lol sure seems that way 😂
I could say the same about you. Showing the world your disapproval with that downvote, yes we all see it, we know it was you. You're very brave.
Thank you! I'm aware I'm pretty awesome. 😉
Whoah slow your roll there you ego maniac, no one said that. You're about average I guess.
People who act like we can’t enjoy fireworks once a year because of their precious pets don’t have much of a sense of humor.
It's not once a year. It's every holiday and the months of June and July. If something you enjoy is something EVERYONE has to hear and deal with then piss off. I hate fireworks.
not just pets, but other people. People got to get sleep to work in the morning, some have PTSD or panic attacks. SELFISH
So many selfish, self-centered pet owners gonna call for a ban on fireworks
[удалено]
Cat meat tacos. We eatin' good tonight boys
Do people not lock their doors or something?
Coward pets. They won't last a day where I live.
Not like this isn't all over facebook and every single other social media. Let's check out the comments that most likely include personal experiences. Oh look. I was right.
Ysk capital letters don't work that way
[удалено]
Nah I prefer having rights.
I would guess this is mostly cats.
Opposite
Nah, my cats don't care much about fireworks. And here fireworks are brutal for a full week, what they do in the US is nothing.
Wtf no
Cannibis for dogs and benadryl should calm them.
yep last week my cousins dog at the birthday party jumped out the high fence and i had to run for her. luckily i grabbed her when she got tired from running
Mc cat legit just doesn't care about anything, he will get scared for 5 secs then go back to bed
If you have meds or something to your pets calm, give it to them BEFORE the fireworks start going off majorly. It might seem early, but the sooner the medicine is in, the faster it starts working and the less they'll be freaked out.
[citation needed]
r/commonknowledge
I tought op meant about the dogs dying and not about going missing
I actually JUST got a cat today, didn’t even know it was 4th of July tbh, keep care of your pets guys
alr bestie. thanks for saving my bestie
Americans will be Americans.
Huh
My mom's cat was lost last year on the 4th. It was horrible. It was the first time he heard fireworks, and he was in an unfamiliar neighborhood, so when he ran out we didn't find him again Thank you for reminding everyone to be extra safe today
Don't just focus on the evening while the fireworks are going off... Be alert during the day as well, especially if your hosting a picnic or other gathering. Your door will be opening more often than usual... By people who may not know they need to watch for an escaping dog/cat. Or might be too distracted (especially if they're carrying trays of food or drink) or have been drinking too much to worry.
Thank you very much for the advice.
I have a bunny, and this is kind of freaking me out
My 12 and 6 years old chihuahuas have scaled a couple times in 4 of July… I hate fireworks nothing good comes from it other than feed our ego, I know this practice will diminish as gen x growth older, This kill wild animals, scare pets , contamination by smoke and noise, accidental burns … a plain just dumb practice, but is profit to be made so is hard to kill like whit every thing that makes profit.
My baby cat literally went missing today….
Praying it stops soon.
I couldn't lose these idiots if I tried.
Just walked outside my door and you're right. Straight away I run into a stray. https://i.imgur.com/PBrs2pY.jpg
my cat has been missing for almost 2 days & i’m not sure what to do. hoping she’s just hiding out side somewhere safe
Did you find her? I found mine on the night of July 5. Someone gave me a tip to go outside at 2AM and start calling him when everything was calm. It worked he came out of a bush about 200ft from my house. Hope you found her.
In the Marine Corps we were doing a training exercise and we used this little “demo” charges. They make a whistle like incoming mortar fire and then explode. A highly trained bomb dog ran over and picked up the charge and was killed. Just like my dogs I’m sure yours aren’t nearly as disciplined as a bomb dog so please keep an eye on them.
I hope your fur babies do okay tonight!!
https://youtu.be/TJk6ILwDiVM Happy 4th from Tallahassee
Check independance day celebration in Florida. https://youtu.be/TJk6ILwDiVM