Fireworks Terrify Pets. Tips To Keeping Your Pet Safe On The 4th.

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It's officially firework season in East Texas and there are going to be a lot of extra loud noises, bangs, and bright flashes of light happening this weekend that are just going to freak out a lot of pets.

While setting off fireworks within most city limits is against the law, there are still going to be people who drop quite a few bills on some big fireworks and will end up setting them off in your neighborhood which will in fact terrify a bunch of animals.

Animal anxiety rises this time of the year as we celebrate our nation's independence with legal explosives. From the first crackle of the sparkler to the last big concussive sound of that mortar shell, dogs and cats will be scurrying around the house trying to find someplace to hide. In the case of outside dogs, many will jump fences to try to get away from the noise and run off and get lost.

If you know your pet is prone to disappearing like Houdini, Copperfield, or Shin Lim it might be a good idea to bring them indoors, stay at home with them, and be their protector for the evening. You might even consider wrapping them in a blanket or a 'thunder jacket'.

The ASPCA offers up these tips to help calm your dog and to ease their nerves as your unruly neighbors are setting off fireworks in the middle of the street:

turn on a radio a little louder than normal
leave the TV sound up
give them their favorite toy
place them in their crate in an interior room with a blanket

In the event your pet does escape and runs away, there's a pretty good chance one of your neighbors will see them and hopefully take them in until you come looking for them. Remember, if they do run off put it out there on social media that your dog went missing on the 4th or that you found a healthy-looking friendly dog and took it in for a while. Of course, you can always check one of the animal shelters in Tyler, Longview, and Jacksonville too.

Protect your pet this 4th of July and keep them comfortable. Above all, make sure they are wearing a tag that has their name and your contact phone number on it.

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