My own dog Winston has twice jumped out of a second-floor window to get away from nature's thunderboomers. So take it from the voice of experience: Heed the noise-and-flash pet warnings during this loud Fourth of July holiday, and keep your animal (dog or cat) in a safe, interior space. But if your animal runs away and becomes lost, call your local shelter immediately and fill out a report (in Asheville, call 253-6807). Then post flyers in your neighborhood and alert your neighbors. Use the free WNC on-line lost/found service, Lost Pets of Western North Carolina, to report a lost or found animal.
"And don’t forget to look in really obvious places close to home, especially for cats; your pet may not have wandered far but might be too frightened to come out on their own,” advises Guinn Friedman, Asheville Humane Society's shelter manager, whose press release gives additional safeguards such as:
• Resist taking your pet to the fireworks displays.
• Don’t leave your pet in the car -- period.
• Keep your pet indoors (preferably in an interior room) and if you're leaving the house, remove items that could be destroyed or that would be harmful if chewed. Leave a radio or television on at normal volume to provide companionship.
• Never leave pets outside and unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. Animals may panic and escape or become entangled.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification and are microchipped so they can be returned to you.
• If you find an animal running at-large, take it to the local animal shelter, where it will have the best chance of being reunited with its owner.
— Nelda Holder, associate editor
"And don’t forget to look in really obvious places close to home, especially for cats; your pet may not have wandered far but might be too frightened to come out on their own,” advises Guinn Friedman, Asheville Humane Society's shelter manager, whose press release gives additional safeguards such as:
• Resist taking your pet to the fireworks displays.
• Don’t leave your pet in the car -- period.
• Keep your pet indoors (preferably in an interior room) and if you're leaving the house, remove items that could be destroyed or that would be harmful if chewed. Leave a radio or television on at normal volume to provide companionship.
• Never leave pets outside and unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. Animals may panic and escape or become entangled.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification and are microchipped so they can be returned to you.
• If you find an animal running at-large, take it to the local animal shelter, where it will have the best chance of being reunited with its owner.
— Nelda Holder, associate editor
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Thanks, Nelda, for making these great points! Our wonderful canine companion Nikko, who has since passed away, was terrified of fireworks. We always stayed home with him on the 4th of July weekend and New Year's Eve to comfort him.
Stewart David
By Stewart David
07/05/2008