If you have pets, Amarillo Animal Management & Welfare wants to make sure that you know what to do to keep your furry family members safe on Independence Day.
According to the City of Amarillo, residents are being encouraged to follow safety procedures to keep pets safe on Independence Day. Residents are encouraged to follow the rules, due to the likely displays of fireworks in the area that could bother pets or potentially cause unintentional injuries.
Residents are being encouraged to follow these tips to keep pets safe:
Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a tether. In their fear, pets who normally would not leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their tether – risking injury or death.
It is best to place your pet in a small room located inside of your house that a pet cannot escape from. Playing a radio softly or leaving a TV on for noise may help distract your pet. Providing toys or chew bones will serve to distract them further. If your pet has an extreme fear of loud noises (like fireworks), speak to your veterinarian as soon as possible about options for keeping your pets as comfortable as you can. Remember, dogs and cats have significantly better hearing than humans do so every firework that goes off sounds incredibly loud to them.
If your animal does become lost at anytime, start looking for your pet immediately.
Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.
Don’t let your pets get close to fireworks because they can cause severe burns; unused fireworks and fireworks debris are also hazardous if ingested.
Even if your pet has been microchipped, make sure they are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. If your pet is microchipped, make sure that all of your information is current and up to date with the microchip company at all times.
