TEXAS — As Texans get ready to light up the sky with fireworks in celebration of the new year, it’s important to keep your pets in mind.
For people, fireworks are simple entertainment, but for pets it can be a scary experience. The loud noise, like that of thunderstorms, can cause a pet discomfort and irritability. The stress might be so much that your pet could panic or run away from home.
Each year, there are several runaway incidents, or worse — fatalities due to fireworks.
Animal shelters and organizations ask the public to practice fireworks safety for pets. The Animal Defense League of Texas shares precautionary steps to follow to avoid distressing your pets.
Here are some signs your pet is affected by fireworks, according to ADL:
- Violent shaking
- Trembling
- Excessive drooling
- Barking
- Howling
- Trying to hide or get into/out of the house, fence or other enclosure
- Refusing to eat food
- Some animals may loose bladder or bowel control or experience temporary diarrhea from prolonged stress
The Humane Society provided a list of celebratory alternatives for fireworks that are more animal-friendly:
- Consider working with local officials to require the use of colorful “silent” or “quiet” fireworks for public celebrations
- Laser shows can be evocative of fireworks while being far less damaging to wildlife and polluting to the environment
- Drone displays like the one seen at the opening of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics can be a colorful replacement for fireworks