Pet safety on Independence Day

I had no idea that the more pets are lost on the 4^th of July than any other day of the year—did you? This image has some great tips on keeping your pets safe for the holiday. Some of these include keeping a recent photo of your pet handy, walking your pet early before the festivities start, and playing with your pets away from fireworks and grills.

The ASPCA also lists several great ideas to help keep your pets safe. They mention keeping alcoholic beverages out of pet reach, keeping matches and lighter fluid away from animals and sticking to their normal diet. As tempting as it is to give them some of your barbecue, you probably already know that when you deviate from their typical food you can often make them sick.

Even when your pets are savvy enough to stay away from fireworks (as many are), they can still be very distressing. Try keeping pets indoors during the majority of fireworks if you can, which not only keeps them safe but also makes them feel secure. Keep in mind that dogs and cats can overheat just as well as humans can, so don’t leave them in cars, make sure they have plenty of water and monitor them for signs of dehydration and discomfort overall.

If you’re going out of town for the holiday, be sure to have someone trustworthy care for your pets. If they’re being kept at your home, make sure the person checks during each visit to ensure your air conditioning is working in addition to feeding and caring for your pets.

And here’s a piece about keeping your kids safe around dogs from the New York Times.

Photo courtesy of Sara S. These are two of our cats, River and Fuego.