Originally published Friday, July 4, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Pets need special attention to cope with holiday fireworks
Pets that are left outside on the Fourth of July are at greater risk of jumping fences, breaking their chains or becoming so agitated they might hurt others or themselves.
Seattle Times staff reporter
How to protectyour pet over the Fourth of July holiday
Make sure pets are wearing identification, whether a license or a microchip; identified pets have a greater chance of being returned to their owners.
Close your windows.
Keep pets indoors in the quietest room of the house.
Play soothing music or reassure them in some other way.
Never take pets to a fireworks show.
Don't leave pets chained or tethered outside; they might break the chain or strangle themselves.
If your pet runs away, call 206-296-7387 and press 3 for King County Animal Care and Control's "Lost Pet Hotline" and a list of lost or stray pets currently at the shelter.
Sources: King County Animal Care and Control and PETA
Mary Chapman of Pioneer Square hasn't gone to a fireworks show in years. Her dog Sprocket won't let her.
Like many pets on the Fourth of July, Sprocket can't handle the fireworks. The first year Chapman had him, the 85-pound Rhodesian ridgeback was so scared he ripped apart the furniture in her living room.
"My couch looked like something out of Freddy Krueger," she said. "He's not normally by temperament a skittish dog, [but] definitely fireworks freak him out and scare him."
Sprocket now crawls into Chapman's lap every year, where she soothes and pets him when the noisy fireworks begin.
Animal shelters and animal-control agencies are imploring pet owners to do as much as they can to minimize the harm pets might cause others or themselves over the holiday weekend.
"People are unaware that their very gentle animal can become like a Tasmanian devil around the Fourth of July," said Don Jordan, executive director of the Seattle Animal Shelter.
Pets left outside are at greater risk of jumping fences, breaking their chains or getting lost, said Jordan, who's heard of birds becoming so stressed by loud fireworks that they pull their own feathers out.
"Once, this dog jumped from the sixth floor of an apartment building on Capitol Hill, and this was on the Fourth of July," he said.
Stephanie Garlichs, a veterinarian at Eastlake Veterinary Hospital, said animals are afraid of fireworks primarily because they can't figure out the source of the noise.
"We can explain to ourselves, and we can understand that the lights go with the sounds," she said. She added that the increased frequency of fireworks in the week leading up to the Fourth causes pets to become more and more stressed.
The day after the Fourth, the Seattle Animal Shelter takes in twice the lost pets it normally gets, and receives an influx of calls from people asking whether their pets have turned up, Jordan said. The calls increase as days pass and the animals haven't returned home.
Many pets taken in at King County Animal Care and Control have traveled miles from home trying to escape the noise of fireworks, said Tom Brown, assistant acting manager of the county program. They have a greater chance of being reunited with their owners when they're properly licensed.
Sylvia Moss, of West Seattle, isn't worried about her dog Whisper, who is deaf. But she is afraid that her dog Rufus will jump the 4-foot fence at her home and run away. Rufus is fearful of loud noises, especially thunderstorms and fireworks.
"I'm a big advocate of playing music or putting on the TV as loud as possible or giving him something to chew on," she said.
Arla Shephard: 206-515-5632 or ashephard@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
Flood fears dampen business, home sales
Nicole Brodeur: Homeless woman bent on giving
NEW - 04:09 PM
Chuckanut Drive to be closed up to a week
NEW - 03:33 PM
Everett Symphony may cancel rest of season after holiday shows

New Beginnings Christian Fellowship
Coming in this Sunday's Pacific Northwest Magazine: Pastor Braxton's mission is to preach a message that appeals to everyone.
general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Sporting goods
just listed
ATV POLARIS TRAILBLAZER - $1800
Aynsley Henley China - $80
BALDWIN FUN MACHINE - $100
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
shopping
events for Tuesday, Nov. 24
- Hometown Holiday at Carmilia's
- Anniversary Sale at Veridis Clothier
- Black Friday Sale at Julep
- Birth and Beyond Baby Closing Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Jerry Brewer | Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Husky Football Blog | Ranking the Pac
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
436 - Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
244 - Jose Lopez appears to be on his way out
191 - Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
185 - Next Seahawks GM should be Mike Holmgren
138 - Washington State coach Paul Wulff says he's excited about Cougars' future
135 - Some fans at Fort Bragg see themselves in Sarah Palin
78 - Hate crimes against gays, religious groups up, FBI says
70 - Civil-rights suit against officer, city settled for $87,500
53 - Monday practice report
53
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Nicole Brodeur | Homeless woman bent on giving
- Portland cafe's specialty: medical-marijuana tokes
- Hutch gets $10M from Bezos family for immunotherapy research
- Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'

