Montauk Pioneer - July 4, 2008 - 'Tauk to the Animals by Ellen Dioguardi

Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear. ~Dave Barry

I happen to be a fireworks nut. I love watching them and always have. When I first moved out here over 25 years ago my mom would take us all to the Boy's Harbor Fireworks in East Hampton. Way back then you just showed up with a blanket and your picnic basket and staked out a spot. I think the tickets were like $20 and there were no VIP sections and no food served. It was just the Grucci's out on a float, George Plimpton and the Duke family milling around with the rest of us fireworks aficionados. My mom's house was fairly close to the Duke estate and one thing we all noticed each year was when we got back home her golden retriever Peaches was nowhere to be found. We'd call and call but no Peaches. Finally we'd find her under the bed or in a closet or hiding in the basement. Even at a few miles distance the sound of the fireworks had freaked this calm and loving dog out. She'd be skittish all night and often into the next day.

Every year around this time in our small neighborhood the "backyard" fireworks sounds begin to pop and crack. A firecracker here, a bottle rocket there and I watch our cats run and hide just like they do during a lightning storm. They HATE this time of year, much like my mom's dog did. Evidently this reaction is pretty common among pets.

The Humane Society has posted some tips on their website for pet owners during fireworks season. The most obvious of these is to avoid taking a pet to a fireworks display. There are others, such as leaving your pet in a room with blinds and drapes closed, turning on the television or playing music to mask the sounds. Many larger dogs that are kept outside escape and are often lost or end up at a shelter. Making sure your dog has proper ID on is important in case they do run away and end up lost.

Some owners give their pets acepromazine, a sedative that relaxes them. This can only be done under a vet's supervision. I can tell you from personal experience it only relaxed my large cat Robbie to the point where he was tripping on things and almost falling off the furniture. It wasn't a good thing for him and he seemed very angry too, hissing at me and not wanting to be held. It was more like a bad acid trip from the 60s than a cure for anxiety so I don't give him that anymore. I find a good catnip filled mouse that preoccupies him and seems to make him sleepy works much better.

Another thing that animal experts seem to find with holidays like July 4th is a pet sick from eating human food. I have to run this by Robbie; he doesn't know he's supposed to get sick from eating tuna, bacon and Cromers chicken off my plate when I'm not looking. However, animal experts suggest watching your pets at the family picnic. Peaches, the fireworks coward, once ate an entire wheel of Brie at a family function, but that's a whole other story.

If you want to make sure your pet is okay, the five top stress signs to look out for are: an animal yawning and licking its lips, or appearing agitated and restless; destructive behavior towards household items; trying to dig or get under furniture and cushions; wanting extra attention; and constant whining, barking or meowing. All of which sound like both my cat's typical behavior!

The most important thing is remember that for your pets the sights and sounds we might enjoy the most about this time of year can be frightening to them. Have a safe and happy 4th of July but make sure Fido and Kitty are happy and safe too.