As fireworks light up the sky during summer celebrations, animal welfare experts are urging pet owners to take steps to keep their dogs and cats safe.
Sarah Fisher, official spokesperson for the Humane Society of The Treasure Coast, says fireworks can cause significant anxiety in pets, leading to behaviors that range from hiding to destructive actions and escape attempts.
"You'll see with both animals panting, heavy breathing, hiding," Fisher said. "Dogs especially, they can retreat into a corner or destroy things. It's pretty obvious as long as you're paying attention to the signs when an animal is stressed."
Fisher recommends preparing pets before fireworks begin. For dogs, she suggests using a ThunderShirt or similar anxiety wrap and providing favorite toys or treats to keep them engaged.
For cats, she recommends creating a calming environment with background noise and pheromone products designed to reduce stress.
"Putting on white noise or TV for cats, Feliway works really well," Fisher said. "It helps calm them."
She also stresses the importance of staying close to pets during fireworks displays.
"Just be with them if you can," Fisher said. "Be with them as much as you can."
If a pet enters full panic mode, Fisher says owners should focus on providing comfort rather than trying multiple interventions.
"If they're in full-blown panic mode, the best thing to do is just be with them and reassure them," she said. "At that point, there's not much that you can do to calm them down other than just give them that security of being there."
Fireworks-related fears can also increase the risk of pets running away, making identification critical. Fisher says microchipping remains one of the most effective ways to reunite lost pets with their owners.
"Microchipping is extremely important," she said. "It's very underrated. People don't realize the importance of it."
A microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, is implanted
between a pet's shoulder blades and contains identifying information linked to the owner. Veterinary clinics and animal shelters can scan the chip and contact the owner if the pet is found.
But Fisher notes that a microchip is only effective if the registration information is current.
"I can't tell you how many animals we get a year that they have microchips, but it's not registered to an owner," she said. "So we know that they have an owner, we just can't get a hold of the owner because it's not registered."
She encourages pet owners to verify their microchip registration annually and update contact information whenever they move or change phone numbers.
"Just put it on your calendar," Fisher said. "Check in every year for an update for the microchip, just so you don't forget."
As communities prepare for holiday fireworks displays, Fisher hopes increased awareness can prevent pets from becoming frightened and separated from their families.
"Hopefully this can prevent some lost animals," she said.