Keep Your Pets Calm During Tri-Cities Independence Day Celebrations

America's birthday is a few short days away.  As the Tri-Cities prepares to celebrate the 249th anniversary of the greatest breakup letter in history, our fun can be less fun for our pets.

Making sure the bases are covered for your furry four-legged family members with the loud noise and other hazards is extremely important.  Best Friends Animal Society has done the heavy lifting for you with regard to keeping your pets safe and holiday for our Nation's celebration.

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Create Quiet Space

Know what time events like The River of Fire or the fireworks after the Dust Devils Game are happening and bring all pets indoors ahead of time. Dogs and cats alike will feel more comfortable in a quiet room, with the windows closed, curtains drawn, and their favorite toys, bed or blanket near them. Having the TV or music on in the background can also help mute the sound of fireworks exploding.

Clean Up Quickly If You Do Your Own Fireworks

Fireworks usually have a number of chemicals and heavy metals that are toxic to pets.  Making sure your yard and any fallout area from fireworks is cleaned up so your pets don't accidentally chew on or swallow anything.  The last thing you want is for cheap fireworks to lead to an expensive vet bill.

Hold Off On The BBQ Scraps

Not everything off the grill is good for your furry friend.  Staples like avocados, grapes, ice cream, and onions can be toxic to dogs and cats. If you want to keep your pet from begging from you and your guests, try freezing pet-approved fruits and vegetables like watermelon, blueberries, or carrots.

Shoot For A Less Stressful Holiday

It's great to take your pet with you a lot of places, but heavy crowds with a lot of noise isn't one of those places.  Even if you have a "people" pet, parades and fireworks shows can have too many people and too much noise and overwhelm your buddy.

Don't Leave Home Without It

Never take your pet out without their ID tag, especially if your pet isn't microchipped.  If your pet is chipped, make sure all information is up to date.  Some dogs do their best Houdini impersonation during the 4th festivities, so if they disappear, you need to make sure your pet finds it's way back home to you.

And Never, Ever, Ever Do This...

Don't leave your pet in the car...even with the windows cracked.  A 70 degree day can turn the internal temperature of a car in to 89 degrees.  Imagine what that temperature goes to at 90, 95, or 100 degrees outside.  the fastest way to put your pet in peril is to leave them in a locked vehicle.