Firework Pet Safety Guide

If you Google “what is this weird bump on my hand?” you’ll probably wind up thinking you have a strange and mysterious disease. Google how to cook pasta, and you’re met with an encyclopedia of different answers.

However, there’s a clear answer when it comes to pets and fireworks:

The Fourth of July is dangerous to our dogs and cats.  

Rest assured, there are things you can do to protect them. Let’s take a closer look.

Table of Contents

• Why Fireworks Scare Pets

• Here’s What You Can Do About It

• The Last Line of Defense

^{Reason #1}
Fireworks harm your pet’s inner ear.
 

Sounds above 85 dB can cause physical pain, leave a ringing sound, and cause permanent damage to your dog or cat’s ear.

Fireworks can reach 175 dB.

That’s more than double the volume needed to cause damage. That blast is painful, startling, and alarming.

Your pet experiences the blast as a threat.

In many ways, they’re right to perceive fireworks as a threat. They can cause lasting harm to animals, whether it’s inner ear damage or emotional distress.

Whether or not you’ve heard it, people in your area have probably been lighting fireworks recently. Far-off, unpredictable sounds can still enter your home and startle your pet.

If you’ve noticed signs of stress in your pet lately, it might be due to the faint, constant hum of fireworks in your city. You may not hear them, but your pet does.

^{Reason #2}
Fireworks blast your pet’s nervous system.
 

The sudden blast sparks your pet’s nervous system, putting them on alert. If you’re far enough away, this may not affect your pet. Distant booms typically cause a short, underlying anxiety.

Booms and blasts are constant on the Fourth, however. Each subsequent blast builds the anxiety caused by the last one.

One reader told us about his gentle senior Newfoundland who, on July 4th, was found trembling in the garage after burrowing herself deeply under a table.

This underlying distress opens the door to trauma.

• Your pet’s nervous system remembers past experiences with fireworks.

• Each year, that memory builds, and the experience snowballs.

At some point or another, pets who are bothered by fireworks may experience a fight-or-flight response.

In the face of a blast, they’re moved either to defend themselves or run away from the danger. Since there’s nothing to fight, their automatic response is flight.

Thats why more pets get lost on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year.

^{Reason #3}
Pets hear fireworks in more detail and from much farther away.
 

The faint boom of a firework might be imperceptible to you, but your dog or cat notices hundreds of booms per day in early July.

Depending on the breed and species, your pet can likely hear much higher and lower frequencies than you. This added sensitivity allows dogs and cats to hear in much more detail than humans.

Think of it like this: pets hear a loud heavy metal band, and you hear a nursery rhyme.

This is all sounding very grim, we know.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize or even eliminate these threats to your best friends.

 
^#1
Keep Them Away From July 4th Celebrations

• Don’t bring your pet to the fireworks celebration.

• This greatly increases the risk of them getting loose.

• If they don’t get loose, they will have anxiety.

• They could suffer damage to the inner ear.

It’s always more enjoyable to have your furry friend along with you on the boat ride, or that early summer stroll through your town. In this instance, it is much better for them to be safe and sound in the comfort of your home.

When going for walks next week, ensure that you’re in a safe environment with a low risk of someone lighting a firework. It could be a good time to take walks in a nature reserve, outside of the city limits.

^#2
Create a Safe Haven

Create a safe space where your pet can retreat inside your home. A comfortable, quiet place like this will minimize emotional distress.

Start by choosing a spare bedroom, large closet, or any area where your pet can feel secure.

Soundproof with Household Items

1. Cover windows with blankets.

2. Hang fabrics on the walls to dampen sound (blankets, sheets, quilts)

3. Place dense objects near the walls (couches, dressers, storage boxes)

4. Lay down your largest rug, then lay another down.

5. Let a box fan run in this room.

6. Set their crate in the middle of the room.

7. Layer blankets over it.

Overkill, you say? This is your little angel we’re talking about!

The tasks listed above reduce low and high frequencies from entering the room. Blankets on the walls and windows prevent high frequencies from getting through. Thick rugs and dense objects stifle the low frequencies from getting in.

To top it off, your pet’s little blanket cave will ward off whatever else makes it through the fabrics and furniture.

^#3
Familiarize Them with This Area

• Give your pet a positive association with this space by putting treats down and petting them there for as long as can.

• Spend quality time with your pet in this room, whether you’re just relaxing, reading, going on your phone while your pet sits beside you, or taking a nap. This will solidify the idea that the room is a safe space.

• If your pet hasn’t been crate-trained, you can still incorporate the early steps.

Click here to learn more about crate training.

CBD has been shown to reduce signs of distress in dogs, and although studies haven’t been done on CBD for feline anxiety, there are studies that show it’s safe for cats. Our customers can confirm, and they report that it’s a huge help for their stressed felines.

Since the 4th of July is fast-approaching, Amazon is your best bet for speedy shipping.

Prepare your pet, prepare your home, and enjoy a happy holiday with peace of mind!