Salina, KS – Fireworks make the 4th of July a favorite holiday for many people. But as Kansas Public Radio's Bryan Thompson explains, it's not so popular with pets.
Pets have sensitive hearing. And they don't understand what all the noise is about. Their instinct is to run. If that requires them to jump a fence, dig under it, or push a gate open, that's what they very well may try to do.
"This is probably our biggest intake of the year, especially stray dogs coming in," says Margaret Price of Topeka's Helping Hands Humane Society. "We always tell people, if they know their pets are afraid of thunderstorms, most likely they're going to be afraid of fireworks."
Price adds, "Now, a lot of times when they hear it all day and all night, they just need to get away from that noise, so they find a way to get loose."
If that happens, pets are in real danger because they don't think about traffic. And if they run for very long in the July heat they might get heat exhaustion.
Price says it's best to keep pets indoors until fireworks season is over. Your veterinarian can also prescribe tranquilizers to pets who need them. And Price says it's very important to make sure all pets are wearing proper identification. Then, if they do escape, they can be reunited with their owner.