KSCO Pet Radio

KSCO Pet Radio


Owners Can Worsen Pets’ Fireworks Fear

June 29, 2020

PODCAST (2:31) -- Red&Howling, in a video cartoon, says it best: FIREWORKS ARE LIKE THE APOCALYPSE TO ANIMALS!
It's true. The 4th of July is the largest single occasion when pets go missing each year. Frightened by loud noises and strange, sudden bright lights, dogs escape and can quickly end up dead. 
On our 6/28/20 KSCO Pet Radio program, Colleen Combs of Green Dog Rescue in Windsor (Sonoma County) joined Laura Pakis, Josh Stephens, and myself to talk about July 4th pet safety. 
Colleen brought up an idea I'd never considered. And it's one that should make us all as more conscious of how we react and not just of our pets' reaction. The two-and-a-half-minute podcast deals with just this aspect of our conversation.

Pets fireworks fear can be magnified by their humans' reaction to the fireworks. Thus, our over-the-top concern for frightened dogs and cats can actually frighten them even more on top of the explosives themselves.

When fireworks go off, and especially when and after pets react to them, some people also "go off," sometimes screaming and cussing about the fireworks and the POS neighbors who set them off year-after-year. And complaining about the real stable geniuses who fire off illegally large fireworks that generate explosions "boomy" enough to trigger car alarms.
Animals react to their owners' emotional states and you getting all upset about these events can directly transfer to the animals. Dogs are especially prone to this.
You don't mean to, but your reaction to fireworks can validate your pet's decision to run fast and try to hide. 
A Better Reaction to Pets Fireworks Fear
Your better reaction? Speak to your animals in a normal soothing voice and snuggle with them in a calming manner. Avoid the baby-talk voice and speak matter-of-factly in a way the animal will find comforting.
Not everyone has these problems, but this fear can prove deadly to an infirm senior, such as an old chihuahua that literally died in her owner's arms in 2018.
Be Ready to Help
There is something else you can do about pets fireworks fear, and that's be available as an overnight foster when lost, friendly dogs start turning up. Local rescues and lost-and-found Facebook groups often find dogs that need short-term housing until they can be reunited with their owners.

Fireworks Fear in Pets - Veterinary Partner - VINJun 20, 2017 ... Dogs and cats react to fireworks as individuals. Some aren't upset by the
explosions, and others get hurt by panicking and jumping through ...

How to keep your pets safe during Fourth of July fireworksJul 4, 2019 ... Dogs, cats and fireworks often don't mix. These are the steps you can take to
minimize the fear and risk to your pets on the 4th of July.

Fireworks Fear: Noise Aversion in Pets - Ervets4PetsMay 31, 2020 ... Does your dog cower in fear under your bed when you run the vacuum, or cling
to you if a car backfires? Pets who suffer from noise aversion ...

David Coursey and Laura Pakis

clean
2:31


Holiday Horror: How to Prevent Pet Suffocation
https://kscopetradio.com/holiday-horror-how-to-prevent-pet-suffocation/
Mon, 29 Jun 2020 06:15:00 +0000
https://kscopetradio.com?p=10825&preview=true
Chip bags and other food packaging pose serious risks to our dogs and cats. Too many animals, especially dogs, have died from suffocating in chip bags, cereal boxes, snack bags, treat bag liners, and cat/dog food bags.

Chip bags and other food packaging pose serious risks to our dogs and cats. Too many animals, especially dogs, have died from suffocating in chip bags, cereal boxes, snack bags, treat bag liners, and cat/dog food bags.

Bonnie Harlan

This is a 12-minute podcast taken from the 7/15/2018 program. Here is some information from the preventpetsuffocation.com website:
Chip bags and other food packaging pose serious risks to our dogs and cats. Too many animals, especially dogs, have died from suffocating in chip bags, cereal boxes, snack bags,