FILE – Rori Chang of Glendale, Ariz., walks her dog Ava as they leave the Maricopa Country Animal Care & Control facility after Ava received a microchip in Phoenix on June 30, 2023. While most people are looking forward to the Fourth of July festivities, those with pets are looking for solutions to the anxiety that comes with fireworks. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Rori Chang will spend the Fourth of July watching action movies, maybe something from Marvel or a John Wick flick, in her cozy home in Glendale, Arizona. But not for her. It’s for her golden retriever, Ava.
“For some reason, playing movies with gunshots works to mask the fireworks,” says Chang, who stood outside in triple-digit temperatures last year to have Ava microchipped at an animal shelter in case she ran away from the fireworks.
“Ava is afraid of loud noises,” Chang said. “Her immediate reaction is to hide in corners, and after that she will literally scratch at you and want you to pet her all the time.”
Much of the US looks forward to Thursday because of the spectacular fireworks displays or the chance to set off firecrackers and bangers with their neighbours. Those with four-legged family members may not be so happy. They are looking for solutions to the fear of the Fourth of July that comes with the fireworks.
Pet behavior can range from hiding in corners to running away from home, and trying to figure out what calms a dog can practically feel like an annual tradition.
Dr. Kelley DeGroff, a veterinarian in Phoenix, begins receiving regular requests from some pet owners for anti-anxiety medications two weeks before July 4. Last week, he received two to three requests a day.
“I think it has to do with certain breeds. Hunting dogs are obviously bred for this purpose and usually don’t have problems with it. But in many other dogs, it seems to trigger a fight-or-flight response,” DeGroff said.
DeGroff prescribes either a chewing gum gel that helps with noise phobia or a tranquilizer. She expects that a lot of requests for medication will come in the day before the holiday. But dog owners should not ask for it so close to the holiday. A week in advance is best.
“This way, when you receive medication, you can take a test dose beforehand so you know what to expect and you know the medication will have the desired effect,” DeGroff said.
If you don’t have time to see a vet, she recommends calming supplements or a ThunderShirt, a wrap that’s meant to feel like a gentle hug for the dog.
Dog daycare centers are also trying to hire more staff. Franchisees of several Phoenix-area locations of the national company Dogtopia have hired two to three additional employees in recent years, said marketing manager David Duran.
On Thursday, pick-up times will be extended by an hour until 11 p.m. in case pet owners want to enjoy the festival a little longer. Although the playrooms are mostly soundproof, staff will host “dance parties” and play soothing music to mask the noise of the fireworks.
A fireworks seller has found a way to be part of the solution.
Bille Jo Gonzales is in her fifth year selling CBD dog treats at Gonzo’s Fire of Mines fireworks in Butte, Montana. She saw local baker Heidi Johnson’s treats on Facebook and contacted her.
“It helps my company because my company is actually causing the problem,” Gonzales said.
In their opinion, it is a win-win situation that more fireworks sellers should consider.
“I would say it has increased our business and is great for advertising,” Gonzales said.
Unfortunately, every year on July 4th, dogs across the country go missing. This is where animal shelters come in, taking in more strays than usual in the days that follow.
A municipal animal shelter in Great Falls, 155 miles north of Butte, installed a 24-hour microchip scanning machine last year to help people find the owners of lost dogs, even when the shelter is closed.
In Arizona, Maricopa County’s two animal shelters are currently overcrowded with about 760 dogs – the ideal capacity is 640 – so they are struggling to take in any more. Unfortunately, the early celebrations have led to 50 to 60 dogs being brought in on some days, said Kim Powell, spokeswoman for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control.
It has come to a point where the animal shelter world “dreads the holiday all year long,” Powell said.
The county typically starts planning in March. Now, shelters are offering free microchipping for the rest of the year. If you don’t have time to microchip your pet, at least write your contact information on the collar, Powell advises. And even if your property is fenced, keep your dog on a leash.
“When they get scared, they don’t think rationally. So it’s best to just be with them and keep an eye on them,” Powell said.
Seattle resident James Pelletier wants to make sure his seven-year-old Papillon-Chihuahua mix, Lilly, is safe. He’s putting her in the basement apartment of his house, which is almost like a “soundproof bunker.” He’ll hang a few blankets over the door, insulate a small window with foam, and set up a stereo that plays “music that I probably won’t be able to stand for hours and/or days.”
“There are already people who have set things in motion, so we’ll probably retreat down this weekend,” Pelletier said in a text message last week.
For him, approved fireworks are not as big a problem as residents who constantly set off illegal fireworks or firecrackers.
“Hopefully people will use their common sense in these things,” Pelletier said.
