Fourth of July Safety Tips

Keeping Your Pet Safe

Did you know more pets are lost on the 4th of July than any other day during the year? The combination of excitement and noise can be the worst kind of combination for keeping any pet calm. Don’t worry! With a little bit of preparation, you can keep your pet calm, happy, and healthy throughout the holiday!

Identification

First things first, make sure your pet has the most up to date information available on their tag. Include your address, and multiple phone numbers to call in case of emergency.

Keep all of your animals collared for the first few days of July. Fireworks can start at any time when approaching the holiday. Even if you have indoor-only cats it’s a great idea to keep a collar and ID tag on them (they can become master escape-artists in the blink of an eye!).

Is your pet microchipped? If not, Good Neighbor Vet offers a $15 Microchip service (with free registration!) and will be holding three events at Pets On Broadway throughout the month of June! Check out the event calendar for details.

If you already have a microchip make sure your information is up-to-date and any address changes have been logged.

Take some pictures of your pet--if the worst happens and your pet goes missing, having a recent photo may be indispensable to being reunited.

Keeping Calm

There are a multitude of products that can be used to keep your pet calm. Every pet reacts a little bit differently, so we recommend checking out a couple options in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Nothing worse than finding out the calming treat isn’t quite as effective as you hoped when the burgers are already on the BBQ.

The number one tip is to keep your pet indoors or enclosed. Ideally with someone else at home as well. Create a safe area for them within their space, shut the windows, have plenty of chew toys, treats, and cushy bedding available. Playing gentle music or using a white noise machine can also help cover the fireworks sound and help soothe your pet.

Make sure the area is secure! Screen doors will not hold up against most frightened dogs.

Try tiring them out early in the day! Head to the park in the morning or take an extra-long walk to try to burn off extra energy.

Products

Remember, it’s important to test-run any calming products before the day you need them. Many of the products can be combined to enhance their effects.

CBD Hemp Supplements

Hemp-derived CBD in two forms: treats and oil tincture. Hemp-derived CBD is completely pet-safe and contains no THC so it will not leave your pet with any “high” effects. CBD works to calm the body, reduce anxiety, and a host of other benefits (hips+joints, neuroprotection...just to name a few)!

If using the oil, be sure to administer outside mealtimes for maximum efficacy. The treats come in different dosage levels depending on the weight of your pet and the severity of the issue. These will not make your pet go to sleep and are safe to use with both cats and dogs!

Pheromones

Pheromones come in a few different forms: diffusers (plug-ins), spray, and collars. These products replicate the natural pheromone that animals give off in the wild to mark their territory or other animals as safe. Vets offices often use these pheromones to keep pets calm and help prevent fighting between clients.

So which form is right for you?

Diffusers: Great for small spaces like an enclosed room, or apartment. If you have a larger area, use multiple diffusers to cover the space.

Collars: Go everywhere with your animal! Ideal if you have a cat that likes to roam around your house, if you are traveling with your pet, or taking a walk.

Spray: Perfect for spraying down your pets favorite bed, kennel, travel carrier, or toy.

Calming Treats

We carry a huge array of calming treats that are suitable for any cat or dog! Some of our staff’s favorite products include:

Pet Naturals of Vermont Calming Treats and VetriScience Composure treats both use a combination of a colostrum calming complex, L-Theanine, and Thiamine (Vitamin B1).

Naturvet Quiet Moments uses a combination of chamomile flower, passion flower, thiamine, ginger, L-Tryptophan, and Melatonin to help mellow your pet out. Quiet Moments is available in soft chew form, or tablets for more severe cases.

Thundershirts

Thundershirts use pressure on the nervous system to help calm pets down. It’s the same idea as swaddling a baby, the sense of being hugged can help their body remain calm. Thundershirts can be used in combination with any or all of the suggestions above!

Worst Case Scenario

If you do get separated from your pet, contact your local animal control and shelter immediately. Found pets are not brought to private adoption centers like the Humane Society first by law.

Multnomah County Shelter: https://multcopets.org/
Clackamas County Shelter: http://www.clackamas.us/dogs/
Washington County Shelter: https://www.co.washington.or.us/HHS/AnimalServices/AnimalShelter/LostandFound/index.cfm

Immediately post about your pet on Craigslist, Facebook, and neighborhood networks like Next Door. The more people looking for your pet, the better! Lost signs around the neighborhood and at local pet stores are another great way to get the word out.

Have A Happy 4th!

Swing by Pets On Broadway to chat with any of our awesome associates about what calming products are right for your pet!