LIMA, OH (WLIO) - It's time to celebrate America's independence, but our four-legged friends may find the Fourth of July stressful.
Many will celebrate this week with fireworks, either at home or at a public show. Allen County Dog Warden Julie Shellhammer says dog owners should take extra precautions to make sure their pets are safe and secure because dogs often aren't big fans of fireworks and loud noises.
She recommends leaving dogs at home, where they feel safe and at ease when you go out to see the fireworks.
"If you take it places, the fireworks might frighten it, or somebody may run up on it, not knowing the dog, and the dog may be frightened. So, a lot of dog bites can occur. But mostly the dogs running, and they will get frightened and they will take off. So that is the biggest time of year for dogs coming in, the week before, the week during, or the week after because of there's fireworks," says Julie Shellhammer, Allen County Dog Warden.
Shellhammer says to make sure the dog has their tags, and if you do take them out, have a sturdy leash. But if you are using sparklers, make sure your dog can't get to the sticks after they burn out.
"Throw a hot sparkler down, and the dog may grab hold of it, burn their teeth, their lips, their gums, burn the pads of their feet. So, they are super hot, as we all know. I am sure that we all touched them at one point or another in our life. But it could be very devastating to the dog," adds Shellhammer.
If your dog runs away, contact your local dog warden's office to see if they have it, or if they get a call later, they will know your pet is missing.
