Taking the bite out of fireworks’ bark

Published 10:00 am Wednesday, June 7, 2006

With the start of summer comes weekend events and celebrations, and with many of those celebrations comes fireworks. Not all members of the home may enjoy the colorful, booming bursts.

Dogs, cats and other family pets typically don’t take too kindly to the noise.

And while fireworks are a fact of life here in North Kitsap, there are ways to keep pets relatively safe during the noisy season.

Shana Barnet, a vet technician at Apple Tree Cove Animal Hospital, recommends that pet owners keep their animals inside if they have had problems in the past with fireworks. She also recommends having some kind of background noise — like a TV or radio — to drown out the cracks and booms.

“Keep a close eye on your pets,” Barnet said. “Especially new pets. If you have a new animal, stay with it, make sure someone is there to see how they will react to the fireworks.”

“Also, if your pet is jumpy, have someone stay with it,” she added. “Pets can turn on each other, or injure themselves if they are outside. We see injured pets every year because they were outside or kids were goofing off near them, and they became agitated.”

There are also a number of different ways to sedate animals, like over the counter antihistamines, tranquilizers, and herbal sedatives. Barnet advises, that with all of the medications, owners check with a vet before administering them.

Horses can be upset by the noise as well.

Owners should pay attention to their horses, and know where they will be more comfortable, in their stalls or in a pasture.

Barnet advises caution when dealing with animals around fireworks, and urges owners to keep their pets comfortable during the noisy season.